Page 1947 - Week 06 - Thursday, 8 June 2006
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students. By deciding to close Cook school, which is 90 per cent full and has a strong supportive community, therefore not fitting the empty desk criteria, the department is showing us that it does not seem to like small schools.
I would like to know whether the Community Inclusion Board has had a look at this policy and I would like to know whether it has been poverty proofed at all. This government and the team of enthusiasts who have put together this massive attack should go back to the poverty task force and read its findings about communities, schools and social inclusion.
I understand why the ACT government is trying to respond to the antisocial consequences of the federal government’s education policy. I fear, however, that the least advantaged will not be served well by this wholesale desertion of suburban amenity and local community support. The preschool sector really must be wondering what has hit it. The former education minister came into the job with a real commitment to maintaining the community base of preschools. It is hard to imagine that Minister Barr whipped up this plan in the past month, so clearly she has had a change of opinion.
I understand that we do not rate well against the benchmarks for preschool expenditure across Australia. We spend more. But co-locating preschools, which appears to be the plan, is unlikely to save a lot of money because the same number of preschoolers will need the same number of staff, and it is the staff who cost the money. In this case, the answer seems to have no connection to either educational or social outcomes and it does not appear to be a lot about money either.
The ACT government is yet to say how it will use the buildings that will be vacated. If there were a way of using those facilities for children or community activity that covered costs, the 2020 plan might make more sense. Nonetheless, we are not prepared to accept the sale of community facilities, as they are a diminishing resource.
This city is shocked that the ACT government is moving so fast, with so little attempt to work with school communities in exploring the options. One thing is for sure: the decision to close schools will set the theme for the rest of the government’s term.
In 2004-05, ACT community service organisations had a nine per cent increase in demand for their services, equating to 10,811 new clients. Even so, 13,588 had to be turned away, as community organisations were already operating at maximum capacity. The majority of the community organisations have reported that this demand, and their incapacity to meet it, is much worse than in the past, and the areas of most pain appear to be related to mental health, drug and alcohol problems, and housing.
In this context, the ACT government’s implementation of the 3.7 per cent indexation to community sector funding is welcome relief. We are also pleased to see the implementation of a streamlined contract management and reporting unit within DHCS. But these measures do not address the inadequacies in base funding, facilities or work force viability that this sector faces.
Last year the government cut $1 million from the renew community facilities and infrastructure fund and this year it has cut another $70,000, redirecting the money to Groovin’ in Garema lunchtime entertainment. Groovin’ in Garema is a bit of fun and a
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