Page 4758 - Week 15 - Thursday, 16 December 1993
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Mr Kaine: And they were conned.
MR CORNWELL: Yes, they were conned. Apart from problems with indecision and with numeracy, Mr Wood lacked some clarity in important areas of policy. For example, in the matter of school closures he said during the Estimates Committee:
I am considering - I think I made that clear - that it remains a consideration for us ahead of the next election as we will further examine this year, we will come back out and make a statement as to what our policy will be on rationalisation of schools.
One wonders, with that convoluted comment, whether Mr Wood had some input into the Electoral (Amendment) Bill that was tabled this morning, or at least into providing answers to questions which were posed this afternoon.
I turn now to an important area of education, and that is social interaction with other children. Mr Wood often seems alone in the playground and one suspects that he does not have many friends there. Rosemary, Wayne, David and Roberta are friends, as are Terry and Annette. Ellnor also has her own friends. Bill Wood seems to be by himself in the playground. Bill Wood also does not appear to be close to his bigger - - -
Members interjected.
MR CORNWELL: Hey, who has the floor here?
Mr Kaine: Who knows?
Mr De Domenico: Who cares?
MR CORNWELL: Bill Wood also does not appear to be close to his bigger, more powerful peers, such as Rosemary, who, among other things - - -
Mr Lamont: Madam Speaker, I rise to take a point of order.
Mr Moore: Come on; sit down. We have had a lot of frivolous points of order today.
Mr Lamont: No, it is not a frivolous point of order. I ask that Mr De Domenico be requested to withdraw the comment, "Who cares?", when Mr Cornwell asked, "Who has the floor here?". It is certainly a reflection on the Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: I will ponder on that one, Mr Lamont. I do not think it is out of order. Continue, Mr Cornwell.
MR CORNWELL: This is an important point, Madam Speaker. Mr Wood does not appear to be close to his bigger, more powerful peers, such as Rosemary, who, among other things runs the tuckshop. Unfortunately, this leads to Mr Wood being bullied into things he fundamentally disagrees with; otherwise he does not have access to the tuckshop to the same extent as the other children. This lack of peer support, it seems, also leads Bill Wood into attempts to curry favour, often in support of actions which are alien to his honest ethical nature. Indeed, one wonders whether Mr Wood really is happy in this Assembly classroom of politics.
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