Page 3973 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 23 November 1993
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Mr Cornwell: They are inconsistent.
MR WOOD: There is no inconsistency. Our election commitment was that we would not close schools in the period of this Assembly. Very clearly, that was said. At the Estimates Committee I commented as to the future, looking well into the future. I pointed out to you that there was no timescale in that, Mr Cornwell; that schools may inevitably have to close because populations shift. There is no inconsistency between what the Chief Minister is saying and what I am saying - none at all.
Mr Humphries or someone on the other side commented on what is our broad policy, the document we happily and freely put out. Our broad policy contains our objectives that we look to and which we specify precisely when it comes to election time. You have our election commitments and in that - - -
Mr Humphries: Smaller class sizes, for example.
MR WOOD: No. That is in the broad policy document which is - - -
Mr De Domenico: Oh, it is not a commitment?
MR WOOD: There is no question about that. I think you know the political processes. I expect that your party would work in the same way. Perhaps your problem is that you do not have these things as well defined as we do.
Madam Speaker, I have not found this a happy debate. Today I departed from a commitment I have never to engage in a personal debate, and in some measure I did that today; but I believe that Mr Moore set the tone of the debate and I inevitably was enticed into coming into the debate at that level. No-confidence motions are never happy things to be part of. I hope that today, when this is done, we can all put the rancour of the debate well behind us.
MS SZUTY (5.21): Madam Speaker, it could be said that I am distressed and disappointed that we are here today debating a censure motion of the Minister for Education and the Treasurer - - -
Ms Follett: It is a no-confidence motion.
Mr Connolly: Is it censure or no confidence?
MS SZUTY: I think Mr Wood has expressed very well the feelings that we all have in debates of this kind in the Assembly.
Mr Wood: It was the wrong motion.
Mr Humphries: It is no confidence.
MS SZUTY: They are not debates that we go into willingly and often.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! There has been no amendment. The amendment is before us.
Ms Follett: There has been no amendment. It is a no-confidence motion.
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