Page 908 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 2 April 2008

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MR SESELJA: In closing, the government again today has made a promise on education. It has made a promise not to close any more schools in the next term of government other than those it has already identified. This promise is a farce. Ms Gallagher has finally acknowledged here today that one month after the election, or six weeks after polling day, the government decided to repudiate the last promise it made prior to the last election.

The 2020 process was not well thought through. Not only was it a breach of faith, but it was a knee-jerk reaction to the Costello report. It was not thought through and we saw this week, with the experience of Lyons primary, the way that ill-thought-out policy, policy on the run, affects everyday Canberrans and the ability of their children to be educated. It affects the ability of school communities to get through what is a very difficult process for many of them. It adds final insult to injury.

The 2020 plan has not stemmed the drift to the non-government sector and we have not seen any evidence that this government is actually serious about stemming that drift. The government deserves to be condemned for its breach of faith to the community. It will have no credibility on its promises on education because it has been shown to have breached the most significant promises that it made prior to the last election.

Ordered that the amendment be divided.

Preamble agreed to.

Paragraph 8 (a) negatived.

Paragraph 8 (b) negatived.

Paragraph 8 (c) agreed to.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Adjournment

Motion (by Mr Corbell) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

Lace exhibition

Walking school bus

DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (6.04): I want to mention two things today. The first is that as people have passed through the exhibition room on their way up and down the stairs they might have observed that there is an exhibition at the moment. Hopefully, they have had a chance to stop and have a bit of a look. It is called Lace to a T. The exhibition was facilitated by Mrs Petronella Wensing, who would be well known to everybody here. She certainly seems to be known to everyone else in Canberra.


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