❓ A parliamentary question regarding the closure of Wubin Primary School due to low student numbers, contrasting it with the Minister's praise for another small school and previous statements about the benefits of larger schools. The Minister defends the decision by highlighting the proximity of Wubin students to a larger school.
AnsweredQoN 55Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WUBIN PRIMARY SCHOOL
I refer to the minister’s decision to close Wubin Primary School last year because it had fewer than 15 students. (1) Is the minister aware that he awarded $40 000 prize money for the 2007 Rotary Principal of the Year award to a principal of a school that has only 16 students? (2) Will the minister explain to the devastated Wubin community how he can justify closing that small school, yet praise another small school for its—I quote from the minister’s media release—“focal point for the community”? (3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN
I refer to the minister’s decision to close Wubin Primary School last year because it had fewer than 15 students. (1) Is the minister aware that he awarded $40 000 prize money for the 2007 Rotary Principal of the Year award to a principal of a school that has only 16 students? (2) Will the minister explain to the devastated Wubin community how he can justify closing that small school, yet praise another small school for its—I quote from the minister’s media release—“focal point for the community”? (3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(1) Is the minister aware that he awarded $40 000 prize money for the 2007 Rotary Principal of the Year award to a principal of a school that has only 16 students? (2) Will the minister explain to the devastated Wubin community how he can justify closing that small school, yet praise another small school for its—I quote from the minister’s media release—“focal point for the community”? (3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(2) Will the minister explain to the devastated Wubin community how he can justify closing that small school, yet praise another small school for its—I quote from the minister’s media release—“focal point for the community”? (3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(1) Is the minister aware that he awarded $40 000 prize money for the 2007 Rotary Principal of the Year award to a principal of a school that has only 16 students? (2) Will the minister explain to the devastated Wubin community how he can justify closing that small school, yet praise another small school for its—I quote from the minister’s media release—“focal point for the community”? (3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(2) Will the minister explain to the devastated Wubin community how he can justify closing that small school, yet praise another small school for its—I quote from the minister’s media release—“focal point for the community”? (3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(3) In Hansard on Tuesday, 4 September 2007 the minister is quoted as saying that it was in the interests of students to send them to a bigger school with more resources. In light of this recent award, does the minister stand by his words? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. (1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
(1)-(3) I am disappointed that the Leader of the National Party would try to denigrate Linda Crombie on her award; especially to you, Mr Speaker, it is very disappointing. Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr B.J. Grylls : I didn’t denigrate her. The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
The SPEAKER : Members! Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am very disappointed that a man with the integrity of the Leader of the National Party would stoop to that level. The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
The winner of the award, indeed, was Linda Crombie, and I congratulate her on it. I was not able to be at the award ceremony last week because I was in Albany. However, I am pleased to inform the house that we increased the prize money for the WA Rotary Principal of the Year award from $10 000 to $40 000. Linda Crombie was the first beneficiary of that increase in prize money, which was a surprise for the people present. I am sure, therefore, that it will encourage more principals to participate in the program. Linda Crombie is the principal of a school called Babakin Primary School, at which she has been the principal for in the vicinity of 17 to 20 years. I heartily congratulate her on her service to country WA students and to country WA. Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Every school is different. The issue with Wubin, as I explained at length to the National Party last year, was that students at Wubin Primary School lived, from memory, 15 to 20 kilometres away from a larger and more substantial primary school that they were able to attend. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : When students are in such proximity to a larger primary school that can provide more resources and more assistance to them, that is obviously a different circumstance from the circumstance at other primary schools around the state. I would have thought, in relation to the provision of quality education to children, that was self-evident. It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations. Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Dr S.C. Thomas : It is often quite a different circumstance in different situations; that’s interesting. Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : However, I remind members of what I informed them last year; that is, when the Leader of the National Party was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M.W. Trenorden : He has never been in office. Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, that shows! However, when the member for Avon was in office — Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M.W. Trenorden : I haven’t been in office either. We don’t get offices. Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr B.J. Grylls : And the minister won’t be in office much longer! Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, National Party members are in some sort of parallel universe where the father of the house has never been in office, despite I recall they were eight years in office. Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr B.J. Grylls : Do you take responsibility for Brian Burke while you are on this line? Do you, or maybe not? Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It may be, Mr Speaker, that the former Court government did not exist; I am not exactly sure. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am sure the member for Avon was there. The Court government, from memory, closed three times as many schools in country WA and we have opened twice as many as it opened.
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