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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (22 September) . . Page.. 2000 ..

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I am advised that the Ainslie Primary School hall will be able to be accredited for the purposes of after-school care, and I suppose that is the bottom line. We are aware that there are some issues that need to be addressed. That is the reason that we determined not to move Craft ACT into the Ainslie public school till the end of this school year, to give everyone an opportunity to address some of the issues that need to be addressed and to ensure that the new premises are accredited for the purpose of after-school care. The reason that we decided to move Craft ACT to Ainslie public school was that was an election promise by Mr Humphries, and Mr Wood asked me to.

MS TUCKER: I also asked what other alternatives were investigated, but the Chief Minister did not answer that. I ask a supplementary question: If government proceeds with this relocation, will you guarantee that no conditions of licensing will be waived in order to accommodate the Ainslie after-school program in the Ainslie Primary School assembly hall? I seek that guarantee.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, as I said in my earlier answer, I am advised that the new premises will be accredited for the purpose. Accreditation is accreditation. Mr Speaker, those issues will be addressed. I have to say that sometimes I get very frustrated in this place when efforts are made to make a reasonable change and a reasonable use of a public asset - a public asset that is being chronically under-utilised at this stage. It is a building that, I am sure we would all agree - - -

Ms Tucker: What about a reasonable process for the after-school care program?

MR SPEAKER: Order, please, Ms Tucker! You have asked your question. The Chief Minister is answering it.

Ms Tucker: No, she is not; she is having a rave.

MR SPEAKER: That is a matter of debate, but we are not going to conduct it now.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I have taken a shorter period to answer the question than Ms Tucker took to ask it. The old Ainslie public school is a heritage listed building. It is a very important building to the history of Canberra and it is a building that we on this side of the house believe - and obviously Mr Wood agrees with us - should be used in a much more appropriate fashion than it has been used in the past.

Mr Humphries did make a commitment prior to the election that we would relocate Craft ACT, preferably to Ainslie public school. We did some more work on that. Craft ACT has been very supportive. I have to say, Mr Speaker, that I have had a number of letters from, I think, very eminent people in the arts right around Australia and all were in support of and congratulated the Government on moving Craft ACT to somewhere more central where it can more be part of the very important cultural life of Canberra.

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