Page 3119 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 24 August 2005
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the then Attorney General, Gary Humphries, he said in this place regarding the Liberal Party’s decision to close Charnwood high school:
This Government will make sure that schools are provided in new areas of the ACT—like Gungahlin, South Tuggeranong and other places, like Lanyon, where they are needed—because that is where the school-age population is heaviest; that is where the demand is greatest. But, Mr Speaker, that means ultimately that we will have to look at the question of what happens to schools in older areas where those populations are declining.
That is a pretty damning statement from a government minister, essentially admitting that inner city schools will close with no replacement infrastructure. The closure of Charnwood high school was a disaster, with no thought for replacement infrastructure or for the future of students at that school. The Liberal Party has taught governments, ministers and teachers around the country how not to go about closing schools. This motion comes from a party that was on the record at the last election as having a policy to close schools and not to replace them with new infrastructure in order to save money. We have heard nothing from the Liberals about reinvestment, forward planning, consideration for children and young people, and the future of the territory. All we have heard is economic rationalist arguments about efficiency and school closures.
Mrs Dunne has already said she agrees that Ginninderra district high school should close but she has offered no replacement. It is clear that the Liberal Party would gladly close schools all over Canberra with no thought for further investment in the community. We are faced with some difficult issues around Ginninderra district high school and the wider west Belconnen community and we have put our solution to the community. We welcome the community feedback we have already received. We are investigating suggestions from the community and we are doing the further work that we have been asked to do. We are consulting widely.
Last week in this place I detailed the many consultation options that the government has prepared. In July we had a well-attended community forum at Ginninderra district high school and I have agreed to hold another one on 14 September. The government has implemented as many different channels as possible to enable people to provide their feedback on this proposal. Suggestion boxes have been placed in every government high school, with good intentions. Electronic feedback methods have also been set up with members of the public able to provide feedback to the department of education website via email.
The website has already received interest, ranging from individual questions from students and families seeking specific information on subject selection, to people wanting to ensure that their children can be enrolled in the new school. Last week ACT community councils met to discuss the idea. In coming weeks Belconnen Community Council will be hosting a special meeting for residents and Belconnen Community Services and Uniting Care Kippax are already arranging a forum. As I said earlier, the government is hosting another community forum at Ginninderra district high school in September. Again I expect a number of members of the community to attend and to discuss the proposal in detail with the government.
Mrs Dunne’s original motion criticised us for our approach in proposing a solution to the issues in west Belconnen, and then discussing that solution with the community.
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