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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 8 Hansard (25 October) . . Page.. 1981 ..

MR STEFANIAK: Actually, I did not receive an invitation for last night, Mr Berry, and I do not really think you or Ms McRae should have gone because I think you did politicise the meeting very much.

Mr Berry: It was a public meeting.

Mr Humphries: We were not invited.

Mr Berry: You should have come along and you would have seen it for yourself. Do not tell a big fib.

MR STEFANIAK: We could have made a complete circus of it then, because I think you two certainly did by politicising it. This is a very sensitive time for Charnwood High School. I do not think political stunts help. Mr Speaker, I think it is unfortunate that the community consultation process about best possible options for the future education of high school students in Charnwood and the adjoining suburbs is being turned into a political and media circus. It is a very trying time for Charnwood High School. It is a trying time for the community, the students, the parents and the school staff, and I do have a great deal of sympathy for them at this time. I do not think media hype and political stunts help. Mr Speaker, we should consider the real issue here as calmly as we possibly can, and we must do what is best to maintain the best possible education services for students living in the area, and in other parts of Canberra as well.

There are a number of principles I want to put up front, right at the beginning of this debate, and the first is that this Government is not in the business of closing schools. We do not have an agenda to close schools. The second principle, Mr Speaker, is that this Government is committed to consulting with the community on important issues.

Mr Berry: Well, why were you not there last night?

Mr Humphries: Because he was not invited; that is why.

MR STEFANIAK: This is exactly what has happened in relation to the declining enrolments at Charnwood High School. You said that you were invited. I was not.

Mr Berry: It was a public meeting. Everybody was invited.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR STEFANIAK: That is interesting, Mr Berry. This is what is happening in relation to the declining enrolments at Charnwood High School - declining enrolments, Mr Speaker, that have been going on for some six years. We are also undertaking a similar process in relation to Stirling College at the moment. That does not have supplementation either. This Government supplemented both of those schools at the start of this year when we took over government, but both of those schools now are not to receive the supplementation in 1996. It is not something that can go on forever. There are people I have spoken to in the Charnwood community who well and truly accept that fact.

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