Page 365 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 7 March 2006
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Mr Pratt: They do to the limit of their capacity, minister.
MR HARGREAVES: Oh, Mr Pratt. I cannot wait for the election, Mr Pratt—I really cannot—when you will get a screaming flogging. I just cannot wait for that to happen. You are going to get an absolute flogging. I am going to be there, and the smiling face behind the gun, mate, will be mine.
Mr Pratt: In your dreams, baby.
MR HARGREAVES: The smiling face behind the smoke and the gun, Mr Pratt, will be mine. I look forward to the contest.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Hargreaves, what has that to do with the question?
MR HARGREAVES: We were talking about violence, Mr Speaker, and the violence that will be meted out to this man in the election will be nothing—
Mr Pratt: In your dreams.
Mr Stefaniak: You should talk to the Minister for Health. He might be able to help.
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, the police—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, come to the point of the question or sit down.
MR HARGREAVES: I will come to that; I am getting there, Mr Speaker. The police in this place do a fantastic job. These guys can troll through the garbage bins trying to find little instances to make them look bad but I am not going to listen to a bit of it.
MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for that answer. My supplementary is: why isn’t the government giving this issue a high priority, especially considering the fact that Canberra hospitals are treating an increasing number of teenage victims of assault?
MR HARGREAVES: We are, Mr Speaker.
Teachers—wage negotiations
MS MacDONALD: Mr Speaker, my question, through you, is to Ms Gallagher in her capacity as minister for education. It has been reported recently in the media that ACT public school teachers are considering striking over wage negotiations. Can you update the Assembly on the progress of negotiations?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Ms MacDonald for her question. I welcome the opportunity here in the Assembly to discuss the government’s pay offer to teachers. The Stanhope Labor government has proved time and time again that we are committed to a strong, vibrant and effective public education system in the territory. There is no doubt that we value the contribution of our teachers very highly. There is also no doubt that their skills and hard work provide us with one of the best education systems in the country.
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