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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 848 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

It seems that the Government can change its formula at any time it needs to, to justify leaving open to it an action which would result in fewer facilities being available to the community. That is the reason for the first part of the motion, that we make the statement very clearly that the Assembly accepts unequivocally that the Territory's preschool system is a fundamental part of the ACT education system. Preschools are a part of our education system that we can be proud of. They are a part valued by many in our community. They are a part staunchly defended by many in the community, as can be seen by the community outrage at the Government's behaviour on this issue. They have a long history. We want to see them protected. We do not want to see them subjected to some spurious economic grounds which come from the economic rationalist Government opposite.

I was quite proud to sit with the people supporting the Hawker preschool, to hear them eloquently challenge the Auditor-General's findings and to see them show the Minister's ignorance of the role, costs and value to the community of our preschools. A great thing about representing the people of Canberra is that they often have a deeper knowledge and understanding of the tricks of government than we give them credit for. The rhetoric used to justify the Government's decisions and the counterarguments that Ministers may not have seen or have not sought are often put by these eloquent members of the community when they rise to defend important parts of community infrastructure.

The Assembly's Education Committee has a review under way; but that, of course, seems to be of no import to the Government. This matter is my first foray into the education debate in this Assembly, and I am quite proud to be in a position to make it. Education is the future of our society. Education and better education are the basic building blocks of a quality society. If you take away any part of it, you damage the system.

Mr Speaker, the Government seems to want to press on with its plans without consultation with the community. It seems to want to press on with its plans without reference to our strong committee system. My colleague Mr Corbell and the chair of the committee, Ms Tucker, have been committed to this review from the outset. But it will be an example of the Government's arrogance if it refuses to accept that this committee should have an open and public inquiry into the benefits and other relevant matters related to our preschool system. It will underestimate the strength and commitment of the community if it ignores the facility open to us through the committee system. I think I have the whole community behind me on this.

A truly cavalier government would press on with ill-considered policies which disadvantage children at the starting point of their formal education. What sort of government is it which measures the value of education in real estate terms? It seems to me that that is the trend which is emerging from those opposite, where the value of the school is judged on its real estate value - the fire sale trick. Mr Speaker, governments are supposed to manage the community's assets in the interests of the community and to preserve their value, not to sell them to the highest bidder.

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