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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (20 November) . . Page.. 3846 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

unit or one of the many help desks which will operate in central office. Bill-paying will be made easier through the introduction of direct debit, automated cheques for primary schools and corporate credit cards. School bursars and registrars have already been thoroughly briefed on those measures.

The support available to schools will include, as a cornerstone, a school resource group. The group will comprise principals and central office staff and will monitor progress and provide support to schools, where necessary. There is another avenue of further assistance to schools which might be experiencing some difficulties and need some extra help, advice or assistance in terms of operating. This support may range from simple advice to actual financial support, if necessary, which picks up a point Ms Tucker is keen on and which she will raise when moving her amendment. While this financial support will be available - and I am confident it will rarely, if ever, be needed because we have some very good operators already in our system - not only have the resource allocations been carefully developed, but principals have also proved themselves to be very competent resource managers.

I think the motion ignores the very thorough and supportive process which has been undertaken over the last 18 months - a process which has been a model of change management. I am happy to acknowledge that Ms McRae certainly concedes that there has been an extensive consultation process. Yes, we all realise that it was interrupted in some instances because of the industrial action; but it certainly has been a very thorough process and, indeed, an ongoing process, as I mentioned, in terms of the strategies and assistance bodies that have been put in place. I think the motion indicates a lack of understanding of the history of the process of school-based management in the ACT. Of course, it is a process that has been here for 20 years - a process that the former Labor Government also further developed. I think the motion is unnecessary. There are programs in place to alleviate the problems which Ms McRae has alluded to and they will assist any school which does have any further problems. Those things have been put in place. The necessary assistance is there. There is a very experienced team of people offering help to schools and to help guide schools through the next part of the process, which is the full implementation. Accordingly, Mr Speaker, the Government will not be supporting Ms McRae's motion or Ms Tucker's amendment.

MS TUCKER (11.09): Mr Speaker, we will be supporting this motion of Ms McRae's, and will seek leave to move an amendment to it. As members are well aware, I have spoken on a number of occasions about the issue of school-based management or, as Mr Stefaniak calls it, enhanced school-based management. I repeat that the changes are driven by the forces of economic rationalism and corporate managerialism, and they indicate the increasing commodification of education. This is quite clear from what the Federal Government is doing as well. It is obviously Liberal ideology.

I have extreme concerns about the whole idea, and I have said that consistently. That is why I have asked that an equity implications paper on this matter be developed. The concern of those in the community who are committed to the principle of equity of access to our schools and educational facilities for all people is that there be equal access to these facilities. There are real dangers, as has been shown in New Zealand and the UK.

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