[Greens-Media] ACT Govt fails own tests

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey MEDIA RELEASE
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18 Sept 06



Government fails own tests

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has pointed to the ACT Government's own risk management framework as evidence that the Towards 2020 plan for schools is both irresponsible and unacceptable.

"The ACT's Risk Management Framework, endorsed by the Chief Minister, is intended to ensure Departments consider the possible outcomes - both positive and negative - before they embark on major changes" Dr Foskey said today.

 "The Education Minister's answers to my questions in the Budget estimates hearings made it obvious that no risk management strategy was pursued."

"The Government is proceeding with this massive disruption of public education without analysing the possible impact on
§	Young people at risk of unsatisfactory educational outcomes
§	students living with disability
§	the viability of local centres and communities 
§	morale and capacity of the education department, or  
§	overall enrolments. 

"And, while the Chief Minister is now saying that the needs of Indigenous students have been considered, the Government has neither consulted with ATSI communities, nor released the impact analysis it suggests it has made."

"It is remarkable that this Government can make such profound commitments to social justice and equity in its Social Plan, and invest in procedures such as Community Engagement and Risk Management Frameworks in order to do it properly; yet drop the ball completely when resources are the issue."

"The real test of any government's commitment to social justice lies in how it manages the hard times, not just the good times" Dr Foskey said. 


The ACT Government's Departmental Risk Management Framework can be found at http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/actia/Department%20Model.doc


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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
====== www.debfoskey.com ======= 
  
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