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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 3052 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

some by phone. The panel did not get the opportunity to speak to approximately half of the students who were not present when the panel was visiting the school but spoke to some by phone. Thirteen parents also were interviewed by telephone, and other unsuccessful attempts were made to contact some of the other parents.

Letters were received from six parents in relation to it. Other people interviewed included the board chair, an ex-student, the counsellor and senior guidance officer, an ex-staff member and two ex-students. Members of the SWOW board, the board chair, student representatives and a member of the SWOW community also met with me and the Director of Schools, Northern District. That is a fair amount of consultation, Mr Berry; probably a hell of a lot more than your Government would have done.

MR BERRY: I have a supplementary question. It sounds like some of these people said - - -

MR SPEAKER: No preamble.

MR BERRY: Indeed, Mr Speaker. It sounds like some of these people said "No" and the Government has decided to do exactly the opposite. Is it not the case that you simply wanted SWOW to close and nothing was going to change your mind?

MR STEFANIAK: What a dreadful question! Mr Speaker, I wish Mr Berry would read the report in full. If you had listened to my earlier answer, which might have gone for over your three minutes, Mr Berry - I will concede that - the idea is for SWOW to move. The idea is for the program for high school students to be expanded on the south side. I mentioned a number of figures for Years 11 and 12. Part of the reason for that, Mr Berry, too, which I think is in the review - it certainly has been said in the press - is that the department has a duty to provide all our students with the best possible educational outcomes. Years 11 and 12 students, some of whom already do subjects in other colleges, it is interesting to note, Mr Berry, cannot be completely catered for in a very small unit like SWOW.

Ms McRae: Who says? You. Only you, Mr Stefaniak.

MR STEFANIAK: Ms McRae, I have not cloned myself into three separate people here or into various other people I have spoken to. I might be large, Ms McRae, but I am not the size of about 60 people.

Ms McRae: Most of your report contradicts the recommendation.

Mr Kaine: I take a point of order. Mr Speaker, would you help the Minister out by informing him that he does not have to answer interjections?

Mr Berry: He needs help.

Ms McRae: He needs help, yes. Go on, Mr Kaine; help him.

MR SPEAKER: I will do more than that, Mr Kaine. I will direct the Minister not to answer interjections. Just ignore them, Mr Stefaniak.

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