Page 3970 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 12 December 2006
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the university and the broader community that the council is a professional entity that has performance and accountability expectations of its members.
During 2006, both the Chief Minister and I have met regularly with the university, the university students association and the National Tertiary Education Union in finalising the restructure of the council. The University of Canberra Council secretariat and the council’s legislative committee have had input in preparing this bill, including providing instructions on minor technical amendments regarding circulation of resolutions and updating references to the commonwealth’s Higher Education Support Act 2003. With the passage of these amendments the University of Canberra cements its compliance with the national governance protocols and significantly improves its governance structures and strategic management.
I believe that a council of 15 is the ideal size for such a body—large enough to benefit from a diversity of viewpoints, yet small enough to facilitate effective decision making. As members can see, the amendments make a significant improvement to the governance and administrative operations of the act. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Sitting suspended from 11.56 am to 2.30 pm.
Questions without notice
Schools—closures
MR STEFANIAK: My question is to the minister for education. Minister, at a meeting in September at Cook primary school you told the audience that:
Cook school has a fully integrated P-6 model with excellent IT, classroom and playground facilities that the rest of the ACT system should be modelled on.
You further went on to say that “Cook is a great school”. Minister, if you believe all this, why are Cook primary school and preschool listed for closure at the end of 2007? Why did you call the Cook community’s picket of the Legislative Assembly a “stunt”?
MR BARR: I do recall making the second statement that Mr Stefaniak quoted me on. I am not entirely sure I have ever made the first statement that Mr Stefaniak quoted me on. But I do certainly acknowledge making the second. I advise the Assembly that I will be making a ministerial statement tomorrow afternoon in relation to the 2020 proposals. Until that point, I do not intend to comment on aspects of the proposal.
Health—patient administration system
MR SMYTH: My question without notice is to the Minister for Health. Minister, the
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