Page 1673 - Week 06 - Thursday, 20 May 1993
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Business Colleges - Overseas Students
MRS GRASSBY: My question is directed to the Minister for Education. It is very important to the Ethnic Communities Council and I would like to give them an answer. What action can the Government take to protect full fee paying students - mostly overseas students, I am talking about - from being disadvantaged should a business college in the ACT collapse?
Mr Cornwell: Come on, Ellnor; we have introduced the legislation.
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, it is relevant. As Mr Cornwell suggests, we have introduced legislation, but there has been a deal of activity around Australia in this area. I am not going to anticipate a debate. I know that you did not do it yesterday, so I will not do it today. Mrs Grassby has been talking to the Ethnic Communities Council in the ACT on this matter and has come back to me with some representations suggesting that the Bill does not go far enough to protect full - - -
Mr Moore: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker. Standing order 117(f) says:
Questions may be asked to elicit information regarding business pending on the Notice Paper but discussion must not be anticipated.
I think we are pushing luck.
MADAM SPEAKER: I will ask the Minister to bear that in mind. Thank you, Mr Moore.
MR WOOD: Thank you. That was the same response, too. They have concerns. It is also the fact that recently a business college in Perth collapsed. That has renewed a focus for the Federal Minister, Mr Beazley, on the subject. As a result of that collapse he is now withholding the Federal legislation with which ours was compatible and is going around the States in a further round of discussions to see whether further refinements are needed. I understand that we are now talking about changes that may include increased penalties and the introduction of uniform national arrangements for safeguarding students' fees, including financial supervision of providers. The important question of a proposal to establish an industry fidelity fund will be examined further. The Ethnic Communities Council has that same feeling about things. The legislation that I have tabled probably will be delayed a little as we talk further with the Federal Government on this important matter.
Volunteers in Sport Week
MR CORNWELL: My question is not for political gain, Mr Berry, but for recognition of other people, and it is addressed to you in your capacity as Minister for Sport. Last week was National Volunteers in Sport Week and ACT schoolchildren participated in a promotion that was carried out by the member for Canberra, Mrs Kelly, the presentation of green and gold awards to national volunteers. Has a board or committee been formed in the ACT, as it has in every other State and Territory, to promote the awards and Volunteers in Sport Week? If so, why was the week not publicised locally and the many ACT volunteers recognised at the local level by the ACT Government?
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