Page 2253 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 23 June 2010
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chamber knows what I am referring to. Yet, as we debate Ms Hunter’s proposed Education Amendment Bill, we need to reflect on what has led us to this moment, at this time, and why, in order to respectfully consider the communities affected by the minister’s school closures in 2006. That year, the school closures began with the discontinuation of three preschools, in McKellar, Rivett and the Causeway, and seven primary schools, in Flynn, Hall, Melrose, Mount Neighbour, Rivett, Tharwa and Weston Creek.
By the end of 2007, preschools in Cook, Macarthur and Page were closed, along with the primary schools of Cook and Village Creek. It was also the year we saw the closure of Kambah high school. This was followed by the closure of preschools and primary schools in Higgins and Holt in 2008. In total, 20 schools were shut down and 15 communities and neighbourhoods left without schools.
It is now 2010 and, although it is easy for those not affected by the slash and burn of our neighbourhood schools or those who instigated it to downplay what happened, we are reminded, as the minister splashes out millions of tax dollars on new infrastructure projects and feeds his gimmicky PR forays, that this money could have been better spent—better spent to save our schools.
In fact, in the Chief Minister’s Department’s citizen-centred governance summary report, it was noted that consultations in past school closures did not meet expectations. The School closures and reform of the ACT education system 2006 report, of which committee Ms Bresnan served as chair, lists the following reasons:
consultation sometimes seemed to be conducted to satisfy the process …
there was no real intention to take the community’s opinion into consideration in decision making;
there was a lack of feedback;
there was sometimes no acknowledgement of contributions;
the Government’s response was not satisfactory; and
there is a need to be assured that community views have been taken into
consideration.
Speaking to a parent of the Flynn community shortly after I became a member of this Assembly, I recall this mother’s attempts at trying to convey to me her feelings of being ill prepared for the outcome; a sense of panic in having to find another school for her child in only a week; a feeling of hopelessness in not knowing what to do, and the logistical difficulties in no longer having a neighbourhood school.
Lest we apathetically forget, this is what we are really here to debate. Will Ms Hunter’s proposed bill assure future school communities fair consideration, process and due diligence?
I recall clearly on 10 December 2008 a media release by the Greens entitled “Thinking Long Term to Save Our Schools”. The release promised:
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