2008
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

(As presented)
(Ms Meredith Hunter)
Education Amendment Bill 2008

A Bill for
An Act to amend the Education Act 2004

    

The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:

1	Name of Act
This Act is the Education Amendment Act 2008.
2	Commencement
This Act commences on the day after its notification day.
Note	The naming and commencement provisions automatically commence on the notification day (see Legislation Act, s 75 (1)).
3	Legislation amended
This Act amends the Education Act 2004.
4	Establishing government schools etc
Section 20 (5) and (6)
substitute
	(5)	Before closing or amalgamating a government school, the Minister must take the following steps:
	(a)	tell the school community that the Minister is considering closing or amalgamating the school and the reasons why;
	(b)	consult with the school community for at least 6 months to identify alternatives to closing or amalgamating the school; 
	(c)	obtain and have regard to an independent and comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the direct and indirect educational, environmental, financial and social impact of closing or amalgamating the school on the school community; 
	(d)	publish a proposal to close or amalgamate the school in a daily newspaper circulating generally in the ACT; 
	(e)	consult with the school community for at least 12 months after the proposal is published; 
	(f)	explain to the school community how the school community’s views have been taken into account in making the final decision.
5	Section 20 (7) (b)
substitute
	(b)	consultation should be open, equitable, respectful and transparent;
6	Section 20 (7) (d) (i)
substitute
	(i)	relevant information is provided in a timely, equitable and accessible way to enable maximum community participation in debate about the proposal; and
7	New section 20 (8) and (9)
insert
	(8)	The Minister must not close or amalgamate a government school before the later of— 
	(a)	6 months after the final decision was made; and
	(b)	the end of the school year in which the final decision was made.
	(9)	In this section:
school community, in relation to a school that is proposed to be closed or amalgamated, means the members of the community  affected by closing or amalgamating the school, including the students at the school, the students’ families, the school board and the greater school community.

Endnotes
1	Presentation speech
	Presentation speech made in the Legislative Assembly on	2008.
2	Notification
	Notified under the Legislation Act on	2008.
3	Republications of amended laws
	For the latest republication of amended laws, see www.legislation.act.gov.au.

© Australian Capital Territory 2008