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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (7 May) . . Page.. 1068 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: The Land (Planning and Environment) Act requires the tabling in the Assembly of a schedule of leases that were issued by direct grant during a quarter. The schedule I have tabled covers leases granted for the period 1 January to 31 March. I have also tabled two other schedules in relation to variations approved and the change of use charges for the same period. A record of all new leases and applications to vary crown leases is available for public inspection at my department shopfront at Dame Pattie Menzies House in Challis Street, Dickson.

On a previous occasion on which I tabled such schedules, the suggestion was made that the practice of tabling change of use charges, or betterment charges, was a practice that was used by the previous Government. I should make it clear that this is a new practice adopted by this Government. I am happy to make the information available for all members to see.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training) (3.58): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the Government's response to Report No. 3 of the Standing Committee on Social Policy, entitled "The implications of the proposed restructure of the School without Walls (SWOW) for the alternative education needs of secondary students in the ACT", which was presented to the Assembly on 10 December. I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

Mr Speaker, I am now able to present the Government's response to the Social Policy Committee report on the School Without Walls, or SWOW as it has come to be called. As members of the Assembly would be aware, the matter of the transfer of the alternative education program from Reid to its new location at Dickson College has been before the ACT Supreme Court. Until that matter was resolved through the court process, it was not appropriate to speak on it in this place.

Mr Speaker, the Government relocated SWOW to Dickson College in April 1997 because it has a responsibility to provide the best possible education for all students, and the advantages offered by relocation of the program could not be ignored by a responsible government. Dickson College was selected as the most suitable venue for SWOW for a number of reasons, one of which was the continuing history of informal links shared by Dickson College and SWOW.

Mr Speaker, the program established at Dickson College will cater more effectively for the majority of students who are in Years 9 and 10. They will have access to the eight key learning areas and greater educational opportunities. SWOW students will also have their own area within Dickson College and their own teachers. In fact, that has occurred already, because they are in situ. Throughout the process, Mr Speaker, the Government has maintained its commitment to the education and welfare of SWOW students.

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