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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 11 Hansard (13 December) . . Page.. 2977 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

Earlier this week, Mr Speaker, I was pleased to learn that Totalcare had expanded its role into a new environmentally related industry, the recycling of motor oil. At the beginning of 1995 Totalcare took over the operations of Canberra Oil Disposals. In its first year it collected 1.1 million litres of used oil in Canberra. Much of the oil collected was of good quality and contained low levels of contaminants. This portion was then able to be used as a source of fuel for Totalcare's boilers, which produce steam for the laundry and sterilising operations. Because of this the company has been able to achieve significant savings in its natural gas consumption. The other portion of the used oil that does not meet strict environmental guidelines is sold to a specialist recycler of used oil, based in Sydney.

Put simply, Mr Speaker, Totalcare's used oil project has not only solved an environmental problem for Canberra but also put a waste product to a very productive use. The corporation now is looking to expand into other related environmental areas. Mr Speaker, I would like to congratulate the staff of Totalcare on this venture, which is paying off for Canberra taxpayers, both environmentally and financially. I would certainly like to congratulate Totalcare on a good end of year result.

MS McRAE: Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Stefaniak as Minister for Education. Minister, is it true that the students from the soon to be closed Charnwood High School are being told by the Department of Education that subsidy for bus travel will apply only to students who will be attending Ginninderra High School, and no other school in the local area?

MR STEFANIAK: I thank the member for the question, Mr Speaker. As Ms McRae would realise, when we had the debate in relation to any possible amalgamation of Charnwood High with Ginninderra High, the question of bus fees came up. It is proposed that students of the amalgamated school who come from the old Charnwood High School will be given bus passes. I have spoken with the members of both school boards on a number of occasions. Those school boards are very keen to amalgamate. I am pleased to see that the school has now come up with a new name, Ginninderra District High School, as a result of the discussions between the two school boards and the two school communities. The whole intention, in terms of what this Government was about in relation to the debate on Charnwood, was to give effect to the wishes of the school community. The school community voted to amalgamate.

Mr Berry: No, they did not. The board did. The community said they did not want to close it.

MR STEFANIAK: The board, representing the community, voted to amalgamate. They are amalgamating into one school. It is most appropriate that the community be assisted in terms of that amalgamation. Accordingly, school bus passes will be given for, I believe, two years to those students going to the new amalgamated school.

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