Page 1674 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
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is that of Dr Christabel Young of the Department of Demography, Research School of Social Sciences, at the Australian National University. Dr Young also is a previous member of the Electoral Commission whose demographic expertise proved of great relevance in the determination of the ACT's electoral boundaries. Dr Young is also being reappointed for a period of five years as the other member of the Electoral Commission.
The position of Electoral Commissioner was advertised in the national press on Saturday, 7 May 1994. In the interim, Mr Phillip Green of the ACT Electoral Office will act as the Electoral Commissioner pending completion of the recruitment process, at which point I will again report to the Assembly. I am sure that members will join with me in wishing the members of the commission well in their important work ahead. I present a copy of this statement, and I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MADAM SPEAKER: I have received a letter from Ms Szuty proposing that a matter of public importance be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
The failure of the Follett Labor Government to improve and deliver quality learning outcomes for young people in government schools.
MS SZUTY (3.29): Madam Speaker, I have raised as a matter of public importance for debate today "The failure of the Follett Government to improve and deliver quality learning outcomes for young people in government schools". I perceive a growing and continuing concern in our community that the quality of education in government schools is being compromised by progressive budget cutbacks. Shortly I will outline the strengths of those concerns in some detail. Prior to the 1992 Assembly election the Labor Party issued its schools policy, "Protecting Canberra's Schools". This policy was introduced by this very clear statement:
The education of young people remains the highest priority for Labor.
The policy statement went on to say:
The debate should focus on the quality of education provided by the school system, not simply on the cost of schools and school buildings themselves.
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