Page 3275 - Week 12 - Thursday, 19 November 1992
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Schools Restructuring Task Force Report
MR CORNWELL: Madam Speaker, my question is directed to Mr Wood, the Minister for Education. I refer you, Mr Wood, to your media release of 2 April following receipt of the Brine report of the Schools Restructuring Task Force, the Coming to Terms report. You commented that its major recommendation of per capita funding, whilst not an ALP policy, would nevertheless be examined and that, despite the report being commissioned by the former Alliance Government, your Government, the Labor Government, would not ignore it. This statement was made eight months ago. Could you please tell me what you will be doing and when you intend making a statement about the Government's intentions on the report's recommendations?
MR WOOD: Yes, Madam Speaker, that matter is under consideration. Obviously, it has a measure of importance for the Government, though we did not instigate the report.
Mr Cornwell: Eight months?
MR WOOD: We did not instigate the report - bear that in mind - but we are willing to respond to it. I can indicate that I believe that that response is not far away. It will certainly be this year.
Community Chemicals Collections
MS ELLIS: My question is directed to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. I ask: What was the result of the community chemicals collections recently conducted at both West Belconnen and Mugga Lane landfills?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I think this is a matter that it is appropriate for Ms Ellis to ask about because there is, I suppose, some good news and bad news. The good news is that the program was successful. Many people brought in their chemicals - those that they knew were hazardous and those that they were not at all sure about. They brought in things such as arsenic and DDT, which are matters of concern, and a good amount of unused paint. What do you do with paint you do not need? It is a difficult thing to get rid of. They even brought in household cleaners that had deteriorated or about which they were not certain.
The bad news, of course, is that it is clear evidence that people are keeping in their households materials that they do not want. There is a good deal more of this hazardous material in households than perhaps we realise, and that presents a hazard. It will encourage us to run this program again, in the hope that maybe after a period most of these hazardous chemicals will have disappeared from households. I am quite prepared to publicise that to the community and let people know that we will be going down that path again.
Ms Follett: I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
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