Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 11 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3254 ..

MR STEFANIAK: Yes it was. A tender was sought.

Mr Hargreaves: No it wasn't. It was a single thing without tendering.

MR STEFANIAK: Application for tenders. Don't be silly John, I know all about it.

Mr Hargreaves: A single contract without tender.

MR STEFANIAK: No, it wasn't. Not the health and physical fitness assessment program. A tender was issued for the very reason it was more than $50,000. There was one particular proponent-Mr de Castella's group; I don't know what it is called. This particularly good proposition does apply in a number of government schools on an individual basis and certainly in a number of non-government schools which pay him a fee. But it was put to tender because more than $50,000 was required. That was appropriate and was within the guidelines.

I don't know how many people put in tenders-this was about August to September last year-but I can recall there are a couple of other groups who would be quite capable of doing that, too. So, (a) I think the tender satisfies the tender guidelines, and (b) there are obviously other people or other groups who could do this as well as the group which is currently doing it on a fee-for-service basis in some government schools and also in some of the non-government schools.

I am concerned that attempts were made, even in the dying days of the last government, by certain elements to slow it down. I think more and more people wanted to be included in the process. I was concerned that I had detected then perhaps a reluctance by maybe some people in the department to give this the priority I think it obviously needs. Therefore, it doesn't really surprise me, given the reluctance the Labor opposition had to the physical fitness program I introduced at the end of 1995, to see this government abandon the health and physical fitness assessment program.

The process of implementing this program, which is so important in combating things like obesity, should not have been slowed down. Like any other normal process, it should have proceeded to a relatively speedy conclusion. If that had happened, we wouldn't be arguing this point here today.

A number of groups slowed it down and I think the P&C would have been one of them. It is a good program and I don't really mind either way who ultimately does it. There are a number of agencies who can. But I think quite clearly the program takes one step further the good work that has already been done in terms of compulsory physical fitness. Obviously, the government is going to vote against the motion so it will go down.

Mr Pratt's motion is a good one. I think it is terribly important that a program like this be implemented because it would enable students to be monitored and families to be assisted on a confidential basis. Under the program, students would be retested to see how they were progressing. It is part of a holistic approach to improving the health of our kids, which is just so terribly important.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .