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David Bartlett has seen the light.  Maybe someone other than him is capable of an original thought!

At Budget Estimates last month, I played a game of cat and mouse with our Premier regarding what I regard as a flawed model to rollout fibre-optic around Tasmania. The Premier’s model which asked required people to read, understand and return documentation (ie “opt-in”) has resulted in less than half of the eligible homes and businesses to get the fibre dropped to their premises, at no cost to themselves. …

I welcome the announcement from Sharp Airlines that it is taking over Airlines of Tasmania’s routes from 1st September 2010. Sharp’s plans to increase services to and from Flinders Island, and introduce a Melbourne route on Sundays, means the Flinders Island community will be better serviced. It also means more tourists can experience the rugged beauty of the Furneaux Group islands. …

It is a sad indictment on our society that Tasmanian teachers are increasingly being attacked by children as young as seven.

Recent classroom outbursts including a student stabbing a teacher with a pen, a student trying to strangle a teacher and a teacher being punched in the face, are just a few examples of what teachers across the state are telling me about violence in the classroom.

I am not suggesting that the violence problem is out of control, but it’s been simmering for many years because of a lack of clear leadership on the issue. …

As a former science, IT and mathematics teacher, I welcome the release of the Special Report of the Auditor-General into science education in public high schools.

The Auditor-General’s report brings relief with regard to the issues of workforce supply and qualification, but that is where the good news ends. …

Mr FERGUSON – I will be leading the response from the Liberals with regard to Minister Thorp’s Estimates. I would like to say I found the Estimates process at times frustrating and at others rewarding. I want to thank the minister for a robust discussion, her general willingness to be helpful with the answers and for also providing her answers to questions on notice. I understand that there are still a couple more outstanding and I look forward to getting those. I would like to say that, frankly, were it not for a robust discussion and our line of questioning, certainly on my part, there can be no doubt that the quality and quantity of information that was received probably would not have been put on the record. That is why I must say I really did find the Estimates process a valuable exercise. …

It was the season for arguing differing opinions over the last five weeks – a long parliamentary session by any standard.  Clearly the Lab-Grn Government has been rattled at having been found out for breaking numerous local and statewide election promises…. In the parliament, I took the opportunity to take aim at Labor and Green Ministers who have failed to keep their promises on a range of issues.  Here is my contribution with regard to health, our hospital and our footy: …

During my election campaign, I promised to stand up for our hospital.  So, last week in Budget Estimates hearings, I took the opportunity to call in on Committee A and substituted myself in – so I could put some important questions to the health minister regarding our LGH.  She wasn’t very impressed that I did so, and made a performance of herself in answering… even trivialising the matter with disparaging comments that the questions were only about getting ’some media’!  I was underwhelmed. …

It was revealed in Budget Estimates today that the failed Tasmania Tomorrow experiment has cost Tasmanian taxpayers $5,884,000 and with just six months to go before the start of the college year, there is still no implantation plan and no sign of any enabling legislation.

$5.8m is enough to employ some 60 additional teachers, which would have made a real and positive difference to the educational outcomes of our children.  A far cry from the damage done to the education of a whole generation of our young people. …

This uncorrected proof Hansard of our 4 hour exchange is punctuated with numerous examples of Labor failure in education – and their continuing view that education is the plaything of experiment-loving politicians… …

After attempting to avoid scrutiny during the Innovation, Science and Technology hearings this morning, the Premier has finally given in to Liberal demands to reconsider aspects of the NBN rollout.

After a long series of questions that highlighted the inadequacy of getting less than 50% of homes and businesses connected to the fibre rollout, Mr Bartlett conceded that there had not been any consideration given to changing the rollout from an “opt-in” to the more comprehensive “opt-out” model. …