Page 4897 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 26 November 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I would be a little concerned if we as a legislature passed a motion that provided for an inquiry into whether religion is taught satisfactorily in a school. I do have to put that on record because I think it is a very relevant point. The same comments apply to the issue of single-sex schools. It is entirely up to the schools whether they want to have a coeducational school or a single-sex school. People have preferences. That is about freedom of choice and freedom of the individual.
I put on record my support for this motion, but I think section (3) is the crucial issue. That has to be passed, and I hope the minority Government will then take notice of what this Assembly is saying.
MS MAHER (4.17): The Labor Party says that it is big on social justice and equity. Where is the social justice in cutting funds to non-government schools? Already Canberra Grammar is giving parents notice that fees for term one next year will go up by 8 per cent. Already parents are having to take their children out of these schools. Where are the children going? They are going into public schools, where the Government will have to fund their total education. So much for social justice and having a choice. When the issue of school closures was more current, the Labor Party was big on being able to have a choice. It was appropriate then, but now that it is inconvenient they have changed their minds.
People should be able to have a choice. Many parents and families sacrifice luxuries and everyday essentials so that they can have the choice of giving their children the education they want them to have. I have heard it said that these three schools in particular have more facilities than a lot of the other schools in the ACT. If the Government could provide those facilities and standards of education for all schools, our children would be better off right across the ACT.
I agree with the establishment of an inquiry. As Mrs Nolan has stated, point No. 3 in relation to the suspension of the proposed cuts to the three schools is very important. The slashing of funds to non-government schools discriminates against the children in those schools, and it cannot be tolerated.
MR JENSEN (4.19): I will speak very briefly because I have made some comments on this issue in the past. There are a couple of points I was not able to make at the time that I would like to make this afternoon. Firstly, I will follow up on a comment made by my colleague Mr Collaery in relation to the Labor Party reneging on its promises and policies. Let me remind them of a media statement they released on 20 September this year, under Mr Wood's name, which quite clearly indicated that the arrangements that applied at the time the Labor Party policy was written were being changed. If that is not breaking party policy, I do not know what is, and I think it is very important to get that on the record.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .