Debates Day 2 - Wednesday 1 May 1991
Parliamentary Record 3
Debates for 6th Assembly 1990 - 1994; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 6th Assembly 1990 - 1994
1991-05-01
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
English
Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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https://hdl.handle.net/10070/418775
DEBATES - Wednesday 1 May 1991 parents until the end of 1991 to make the arrangements necessary for their children for 1992; (3) ensuring the quality of education for all Territory children; and (4) making the highest proportion of reductions outside the school fence1. I cannot believe that the Attorney-General could propose an amendment to my colleague's motion that was so immoral and so wrong, and do it without a smile on his face. A member interjecting. Mr BAILEY: You do not really expect the public of the Northern Territory to believe a word of the amendment, do you? Let us have a look at the individual points. It proposes commending the minister for: 'establishing a task force to consult with principals, school councils ... 1 Mr Perron: You don't have to read it again. Come on! Mr BAILEY: It needs to be read again because you lot are so thick that you do not even understand what it is you will vote for. If we repeat it a number of times, perhaps you will understand. It proposes commending the minister for 'establishing a task force to consult with principals, school councils, parents and the community about the closure of 8 pre and primary schools'. And that is a lie. How can the government expect members to support an amendment that has been proven over and over again today to be a lie? It was a ministerial task force which was set up solely by the minister. It comprised 3 departmental people, 1 person appointed by the minister, and a representative from COGSO. In 2 weeks, it visited a large number of schools. To whom did it talk? It talked to the principal and the chairman of each school council. In most cases, it visited schools when they were closed - on weekends, out of hours or during the school holidays. Unless the Attorney-General wants that inaccuracy in his amendment to remain on the record of this parliament, he needs to remove any suggestion that the task force consulted with parents or the community about school closures. It never did so. His own minister stated what the process was. If the Attorney-General wants to amend his amendment, it could state that a task force was established that visited schools after school hours and during holidays to talk to school principals and the chairmen of school councils. In no way did it consult with any parents or the community about the closure of schools. The second part of the amendment commends the minister 'for alleviating the distress caused to students and parents by personal communication with parents and assuring that action is in hand to provide all programs at receiving schools and allowing schools and parents until the end of 1991 to make the arrangements necessary for their children for 1992'. We have heard from the member for Millner how ... Mr Coulter: Talk to the amendment. Mr BAILEY: That is what I am talking to. We have heard how the minister has refused to provide information to schools. He has refused to provide information to me. I rang his department 5 weeks ago and asked quite a simple question at the time when the school closures were being suggested and the minister was saying that all the facts were on the table. I asked one of his ministerial officers if we could have a list of school 827