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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 4 Hansard (10 April) . . Page.. 918 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

a substantive question about the inquiry, rather than seek to attack the legitimacy of the inquiry head.

This is a very important inquiry. The inquiry is the first in self-government to seriously review the entire basis on which funding is provided to schools in the ACT, both public and private. The intention is to ensure that funding arrangements are based on need and equity-that they are based on addressing the greatest areas of need and disadvantage in the system, as well as maintaining the excellence of our schools overall.

These are very important goals. In the context of Mr Pratt's question, this is not a case of taking existing money away from schools. That is simply not on the agenda.

MR PRATT: A similar review in Victoria, conducted by the same person that you have appointed to this inquiry, cost taxpayers $100,000. That created a hell of an outcry. Can you explain why this review will cost the taxpayers of the ACT $250,000, while the Victorian review cost only $100,000?

MR CORBELL: I do not know whether that is a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. I think it is close to a new question. Nevertheless, I am happy to answer the question.

I cannot speak for the detail of the Victorian review or the issues behind it-I am simply not familiar with it. However, this government is committed to a thorough and wide-ranging investigation.

This is the first time I have heard an opposition complain that we are resourcing too much on an investigation. The usual complaint is that we are not serious about it and are not resourcing it enough. However, in this instance it is apparently too much. I think the amount of money demonstrates the government's seriousness about a wide-ranging and extensive investigation.

We have provided the remainder of the year for the inquiry head, Ms Lyndsay Connors, to undertake her investigations. Part of the cost is for the appointment and employment of Ms Connors. Part of it is for the administrative support relating to her functions as an inquiry head.

Another very important part is that we have given Ms Connors discretion to commission research, where she believes it is appropriate, to investigate matters of concern that come up in the course of the inquiry. We have negotiated an arrangement with the Australian Centre for Educational Research. They will be available to provide Ms Connors with the research capacity she needs on matters which she believes are appropriate to help her inform the inquiry.

That is a very significant commitment. This sort of research is highly specialised. We want to get this inquiry right. We are serious in its investment, because it is, ultimately, an investment in the future of education in the ACT.

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