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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 02 Hansard (Wednesday, 3 March 2004) . . Page.. 654 ..

MS GALLAGHER: I signed this brief, which appeared as a fax, on the 11th. I signed this brief on the 15th. I can actually just work out your conspiracy theory here, which is that—

Mrs Burke: No, no, Minister.

MS GALLAGHER: There is a little scribble that might look like a “1”. It is actually where I have carelessly drawn a line after the “15”—

Mrs Burke: No, no, no—not good enough.

MS GALLAGHER: so that it actually looks like it is 15/1/12/03. Is that what you are talking about? Well, that is my poor writing, which I apologise for. This brief was signed on the 15th. The faxed copy was signed on the 11th. Mrs Burke, there is no conspiracy here. We have given you all the facts. Keep digging around as much as you can to try to prove that I am not telling the truth, but I am.

Mrs Burke: Timing is critical.

MS GALLAGHER: I agree time is critical.

Students with disabilities

MS DUNDAS: My question is to the Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services. Page 41 of the annual report of the Department of Education, Youth and Family Services states that a report is being undertaken of services to students with disabilities and policy and mandatory procedures and that it is expected to be completed by March 2004. Will you inform the Assembly of the scope of this review and when you expect it to be completed?

MS GALLAGHER: I will have to take that question on notice. I am not sure whether the member is talking about an internal one by the department. I am happy to check on where it is up to. I have a list of reviews here and I cannot see it listed. So, I will get back to the member at the end of question time today if I can.

MS DUNDAS: While the minister is looking into that I have a supplementary question. I understand the current policy in relation to students with disabilities and the mandatory procedures for students with disabilities states that every student with a disability in ACT schools is required to have an individual learning plan. Is the minister currently assured that every student who requires an ILP currently has one, and if children do not have an ILP what happens to them with regard to their education needs?

MS GALLAGHER: In relation to the second part of the question, individual learning plans, I am of the understanding that individual learning plans are in place for all students. I have received a couple of emails over the past couple of months from people who have been concerned that individual learning plans have not been in place. We followed up those cases. Plans have been in place. Whether that has been articulated to care givers seems to have been the question, because it is usually the family, or the foster care family in one case, who seems to be of the view that an individual learning plan is

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