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Mr Berry: I look at the figures. Which State or Territory has the highest participation rate in Australia? The ACT.

MR STEFANIAK: But which State does not in schools, Wayne? There is a real problem there. We are probably in danger of losing that.

MR SPEAKER: Speak through the Chair, gentlemen.

Mr Berry: It has the highest participation rate in the whole community.

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, I listened to Ms McRae in silence. I would appreciate the same consideration from Mr Berry. I point out to Mr Berry that the 1993 ACT Government PE and Sport Consultative Committee report was completed in 1993 and Mr Wood accepted the principles of the report in 1994. Two of the principles in the report were compulsory physical education until Year 10 and interschool competitions, which is effectively what we are proposing. Under Strategies, 1.4 states:

Daily or equivalent PE Classes pre - 10 Compulsory 11 - 12 elective.

Under Timeline, it refers to starting in 1995, with action by schools. Further on, 1.7 states:

Primary School Sports Association and Secondary School Sports Association explore possibilities for effective Interschool and Inter-District/Zone sport programs.

That was for implementation before the end of 1993. Those two things are in a report accepted by the previous Government; but, unfortunately, it did not progress it. It did not progress a number of things. For example, Ms McRae mentioned Evatt Oval. That was one of the low-maintenance ovals resulting from ALP action last year. So the former Government's own report basically backs up what I and the Government have been saying in relation to this. It is time to see how we can implement the best possible outcomes for our school students up to Year 10, in line with all these reports. Incidentally, if Ms McRae was serious about this motion she would not have lodged it at 5.00 pm the night before the debate started. I wonder whether she has even talked to the P and C in relation to it.

I have drawn attention to that report. It is a pity that it was not implemented properly. PE is not compulsory up to Year 10 now; that report indicates that it should be. The P and C Association, to my understanding, thinks it should be. Certainly, the PE Teachers Association does. I do not think there is necessarily any argument about that. The argument now is not that we need to send this off to another committee, which would take forever and delay further any improvement; the argument is on how we go about it. This Government, unlike the previous Government, is going to act on the research that has been done into school sport and PE. We intend to try to change things for the better and not simply sit on our hands. We are on about improving things, and this means taking action when the time is right.

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