Page 572 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 14 March 2007
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There would be some concern if there were any compulsion for organisations to move to cheaper premises just because they had become available with the closure of schools. I think here we see a lesson that the government failed to learn when it inflicted cost cutting on community organisations with the budget last year. We could have got much better outcomes if the community groups had been worked with to identify where there were cost savings. We need to work with the sector—and not just those that have got the resources, the gumption, the personnel and the spare time to come and lobby a minister.
That is what I want to point out here: it does concern me that we do not have that open process here with a level playing field. What we have is a situation where some organisations get to talk to the minister and others do not. We have had it said here today: this organisation does not want that organisation down the road to know that it is in discussions with the minister. But hang on, isn’t that just going to add to the difficulties? Let us acknowledge it. We have competition in the community sector, just as we have it everywhere else, especially when there are scarce funds. We have some groups seen as being favoured by government over others. I would like the government to cut that kind of process—to open the process up so that we have a clear and transparent process.
That is what my motion is about. I have not had that addressed today. The government is in a position where it needs to build that trust, especially with the community sector. It could also play a role in increasing the trust between groups. Surely it is not in the government’s interests to have a divide and rule approach to community organisations.
Let me respond to Mr Hargreaves’s final comments. When Mr Hargreaves rejected Mrs Dunne’s amendment, he was once again saying, “Trust us; we are the government.” The trouble is that the community does not trust the government. Here was an opportunity to build that trust. When you refuse to do that—when you refuse to be open at least with this Assembly and to table documents here—we have to think that there is something going on that you do not want us to know about.
Mr Hargreaves: What, don’t you trust me?
Mrs Dunne: No.
DR FOSKEY: I think that says it all. We do not trust you, and if we do not trust you then the community is not likely to trust you either. It is interesting and pleasing that the Flynn community has an opportunity to continue to have some of the services that it was getting when it had a school—
Mr Hargreaves: Well, there goes our relationship. Our marriage is over.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Dr Foskey has the floor.
DR FOSKEY: and that they sound as though they have the ear of the minister in at least having some of their community activities which were provided under the auspices of the school, perhaps under the new arrangements with TAMS. I am sure that a lot of the services that they will be having in this now empty school building
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