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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 70 ..

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MS MacDONALD: I move:

There were seven recommendations from this brief report. The committee looked into the Department of Education, Youth and Family Services annual report, which was done prior to the changes in the administrative arrangements, when areas were divided.

As Mrs Dunne mentioned, I believe there is an administrative issue with the committee looking into the youth and family services areas, which is not part of the committee's bailiwick. One of the issues raised in the report was concern about insurance of computers in schools. As a result, we have made a recommendation on that. We have said that, whilst we approve of some of the flexibility which comes out of school-based management being provided to schools, there is a need for guidance to be provided by the department on the insuring of such valuable assets as the computers which schools have added to their facilities.

Another issue the committee looked at was the exposure draft of the education bill. At the hearing, the then minister for education mentioned that there had been some changes in the draft education bill which would be presented to the Assembly. The committee felt that, as there were numerous concerns within the community about what is in the education bill, there should be enough time, once the exposure draft is presented to the Assembly, for the community to provide feedback on their thoughts and opinions on the content in the revised draft of the education bill.

Mr Speaker, one final matter about which the committee had some concern was the listing of reviews and reports. I am aware of reports done in certain areas which do not seem to be mentioned, or are very difficult to find within the department's annual report. I am sure it will come up in discussion about the Health Committee's review of annual reports that this is not limited to the education area. As a result of that, we have recommended that all reviews and reports conducted by a department be listed within the body of the report in the separate areas and then in a separate appendix at the end.

I would like to thank the members of the committee for their time and their work. I would also like to thank the secretary of the committee, Mr David Skinner, for his time and work on the report.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Health-Standing Committee

Report No 3

MS TUCKER (11.35): Pursuant to order, I present Report No 3 of the Standing Committee on Health entitled Inquiry into 2001-2002 Annual and Financial Reports, together with extracts of the relevant minutes of proceedings. I seek leave to move a motion authorising the report for publication.

Leave granted.

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