Page 2241 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 16 August 2006
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students will attend. That presents an interesting challenge around the ongoing viability of some neighbourhood schools when, in some areas, up to 75 per cent of students who are eligible to attend a school and are in a particular school’s priority enrolment area do not attend that school. That leaves you asking the question: how is it, and what is the expectation that the government will continue to resource schools that the local community does not support?
There is a fundamental issue we need to address here: can we continue to sustain the number of school sites that we have across the territory to the level that we would expect? The answer to that is clearly no, we cannot. So we need to undergo a process of rationalisation of school sites. That is an undeniable fact. In fact, I note that both the opposition and the Greens acknowledged on radio this morning that there is a need for some schools to close. I welcome the position that was put. Looking into the history of these debates, it is interesting that there is a range of people who have previously held very strong views on this issue.
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Barr has the floor. Will everybody cease their interjections.
MR BARR: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. As I was observing, it is interesting to look back at what people who have been here for a considerably longer period of time than I have said on the public record on this particular issue over many years in the Assembly. I note that there are many opposite who, having examined these issues when they were education minister, reached very similar conclusions.
Of course in politics a lot of the time where you stand on an issue is where you sit. It is clear that those opposite are taking a very different position now than they perhaps would have in different circumstances and have done at different times. So again I note and observe that it is the case that, without any inference of government policy directing one way or another, the decisions that students and parents are already making in relation to the schools they attend are clear, whilst it might be of some regret to members that students no longer walk as much as they perhaps should.
Dr Foskey: Walking school bus.
MR BARR: Indeed, Dr Foskey. That is a very good program and one that the government in fact funds. When people take a serious look at the regional approach the government has undertaken in looking forward at education provision towards 2020, those concepts and ideas are not lost, and it is not something that would no longer be possible.
It is interesting that there are some people who will drive 100 metres to school, yet there are others who feel that perhaps walking or riding their bike a longer distance is not an issue. We are not in a position to enforce how students would get to school but, nonetheless, these are decisions that parents and students are already making. We do not enforce enrolment at a local school.
MR SPEAKER: The minister’s time has expired.
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