Page 728 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 24 March 1993
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I heard Mr Humphries talking on public service matters the other day, saying that they have to have a different approach to the public service in the ACT. I bet that it would not go to saying to people, "If you want to protect the public service in the ACT in a Federal election you should vote Labor".
Mr Humphries: No, because it would not work.
MR BERRY: No, never. Their approach is, "We will still sit here in the ACT and bleat about the effects that a Federal Liberal government might have on the public service here, but we would never urge you to vote Labor to protect it". That is double-dealing. That is the same as your approach in this matter - it is a whole heap of double-dealing on this issue of education. You are not fooling anybody. Nobody will be fooled. They have had an experience. They have seen your agenda and it is our job now to keep it alive. I intend at every opportunity to keep alive the Liberals' agenda which has been exposed. On many occasions when you were mixed up in the Alliance Government you showed how you operate in health and education. You continue to show your antagonism towards the public health and education systems, and you will continue to be exposed for it. This mindless bashing of the education system and sensible decision making processes like the one that was taken in relation to the school in question shows the hypocrisy of the Liberals.
This motion, as I said earlier, is, on the face of it, okay; but it will be opposed because of the sentiment behind it. We know that you never really mean what you say. The Federal Liberals never really mean what they say; the Victorian Liberals never really mean what they say. Look at Kennett. What did Kennett do? Look at the Kennettesque group opposite. I think you are on safe ground if you oppose everything the Liberals say, because it never really is clearly what they mean. So, Madam Speaker, this is to be opposed. The Liberals have been duplicitous on public education. This motion, in effect, is duplicitous because it does not say what they mean.
MR CORNWELL (11.35): I am sorry, Madam Speaker, that the Chief Minister did not participate in this debate.
Ms Follett: I will, if you like. I am happy to, if you allow me the courtesy.
MR CORNWELL: Yes. Thank you.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (11.35): Madam Speaker, I have had the great pleasure this morning of attending the twentieth birthday celebrations of Weetangera Primary School. I am sure that members opposite will squirm to know that Weetangera Primary School was on the Alliance Government's hit list for closure. I am sure that members opposite will also squirm to recall the extreme reaction of the community in that area against that unilateral decision by the then Minister, Mr Humphries, on the future of their school. I recall also the fact that one of the Alliance's then members, Dr Kinloch, was effectively ejected from the party room over his stand on Weetangera school. But the then Minister never varied in his view that Weetangera school should close. That is how flexible he was.
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