Page 2246 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2016
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But for some reason Mr Rattenbury fails to see that these are issues that the community well understands, we understand, the P&Cs understand, the union understands and the editorial writers of the Canberra Times understand. The only one who is missing the essential issues that the community is concerned with seems to be the Minister for Education. I find that very much a pity.
I am not at all surprised that the government, including its Greens minister, does not wish to own up to the mistakes it has made in school closures. Yet, sometimes the more you try to cover the problems that you have created, the more problems you create for yourself. This is the situation that is becoming quite a strong issue within not just Garran and nearby schools but also numerous schools in the inner south and inner north, even at Gungahlin College.
It does not surprise me that Mr Rattenbury continues to avoid the fact that schools have been getting more and more overcrowded because insufficient funds have been directed into their care only 10 years after closing 23 of them. One of the reasons provided was to ensure that sufficient resources were available to remaining schools. Obviously that did not work. In essence, if Mr Rattenbury thinks there is nothing wrong with a year 6 class having 37 students, he is not the right person to be in the education minister job. And temporary transportables at Garran are not the be all and end all.
Eighteen months ago, the Garran community came to me with issue with regard to a walkway between the primary school and the preschool. It was not attended to for 18 months. Yet Mr Rattenbury keeps telling us that he and his predecessors listen to the community. There was an issue where a teacher broke an arm and that meant that for about 18 months they had to transport certain children who needed wheelchair transportation via a cab to go from Garran Primary around to the preschool because there was no other way of getting the children there.
For 18 months they were waiting for something to happen. What has happened, Mr Rattenbury, is that finally some attention is being given to them. But it has taken 18 months of inaction.
Mr Rattenbury: And how many months have I been in the job, Steve? You fool!
MR DOSZPOT: Well—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Order, members!
MR DOSZPOT: Madam Assistant Speaker—
Mrs Jones: Point of order. I believe the minister just called Mr Doszpot a fool.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I did not hear exactly what Mr Rattenbury said. Could you sit down for a moment, Mr Doszpot? Thank you. I ask Mr Rattenbury if that was the case. Mr Rattenbury.
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