Page 1548 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 17 May 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
My understanding is that to date primary schools have not received additional resources to take on increased responsibilities with relation to preschools, despite assurances by you in February this year that you would look at allocating resources to implement linking. My question is: Can the Minister explain to the Assembly how the current arrangements are working, whether he believes they are working satisfactorily, and whether they are likely to be funded in the future as indicated?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, the preschool sector maintains its point of view that there need to be some further changes to the way that that sector is administered. It is the case that we tried a new mechanism. We set out to reach agreement on a new mechanism, and we were unable to do so with one of the key players, so we were not able to proceed with the proposal as we had first hoped. We continue to discuss with the Education Union and with the preschool sector how preschools might best be administered. I had a meeting with each of those parties at the same time last week. I expect, later this week or next week perhaps, to make a further announcement about the administration of preschools.
Council on the Ageing
MR KAINE: I have a question for the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, you have demonstrated over the last few days that in a twinkling of an eye you can conjure up $10,000 to support Mr Berry. Will you give an undertaking to the Assembly that in an equal twinkling of an eye you will find $10,000 to make sure that the Council on the Ageing does not stop its activities before 30 June?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I repeat what I said last time and what I have said to Mr Kaine in a written answer to a question. I have not actually received a specific request from COTA for additional funding. Madam Speaker, I have to say that this matter has been somewhat of a mystery to me. I am aware that a very active public campaign is being run. I am also aware that COTA have written to other parliamentarians about their funding. It is, however, the case, Madam Speaker, that they have not written to me, and they still have not. I said to Mr Kaine earlier that COTA had sought funding for a particular issue, a special grant, to assist them with an unforeseen circumstance that had arisen for them. That funding was provided. I believe, Madam Speaker, that COTA have written to the Minister for Housing and Community Services as recently as 10 May, requesting a special grant of $5,500 for 1993-94 and an increase in the current general administration grant. That would be just in the normal budgetary sense. Madam Speaker, the advice that I have is that both of those requests are being considered, but I repeat that the only request that I am aware of at present is to my colleague the Minister for Housing and Community Services.
MR KAINE: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Since the Chief Minister does not seem to feel compelled to deal with this issue as quickly as she dealt with Mr Berry's problem, can we safely assume that if you are over 55 the Follett Government has written you off?
MADAM SPEAKER: I call Ms Ellis.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .