Page 33 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 April 1992
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University of Canberra Council
MR CORNWELL: My question is directed to the Minister for Education and Training, Mr Wood. I refer to the 15 months' struggle that the Alliance Government waged with, I guess I could say, an intransigent Federal Labor Minister, Mr Dawkins, over the appointment of Assembly politicians to the University of Canberra Council, and the victory that was achieved in June last year for Assembly representation. I ask you: Where are our two Assembly nominees to this council, considering that nine months have now elapsed since we won that victory, and why, with a clear six months before the recent election, did the ALP Government not appoint the two representatives?
MR WOOD: There has been a delay. I will check the timetable that you indicate. While you may have had an assurance from the Minister, I am not sure that the amendment to the Act went through the Senate or all the forms of the Federal Parliament in that time. But I will check that out. It may be that you are right. The other point is this: There is no requirement for the Government to nominate representatives from this Assembly. What was permitted was that we could do so if we wished. I am ready now with a list of names to take to my colleagues for various appointments to tertiary institutions. You will have to wait to see whether they contain members of this Assembly, or members from the ACT community more broadly.
MR CORNWELL: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Could you please explain, Mr Wood, why there has still been this delay? Even accepting that the Senate may not have passed it, as you claim, why have you waited nine months before reaching this point?
MR WOOD: I have not waited nine months. The agenda has not been with me for that period. It is also the case that we ceased to make appointments ahead of the election, and we are now in a position where we can do so. We are giving careful consideration to this. We have been in debate with the tertiary institutions about it. The appointments will be most carefully made.
Diplomatic Premises
MS ELLIS: I address my question to the Attorney-General. Can the Minister assure Canberra's citizens in suburbs with diplomatic premises that their suburbs are secure, following the attack on the Iranian Embassy?
MR CONNOLLY: I thank Ms Ellis for her first question in the Assembly. I am sure that all members of the Assembly would share the concern and, indeed, outrage of the Government at yesterday's attack on the Iranian Embassy by a group of persons, some of whom have been apprehended by the Australian Federal Police and were before the courts of the ACT this morning and, as has been publicly revealed, are currently remanded in custody in this Territory.
The ACT Government, of course, supports the right of people to peacefully protest outside embassies, and we have been in conflict with our Federal colleagues on that issue. We also support the right of Australians of an overseas background to express a political point of view within Australia in relation to overseas events. Recently we have seen very large assemblies of people in
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