Australian Capital Territory Numbered Acts

EDUCATION AMENDMENT ACT 2006 (NO. 28 OF 2006) - SECT 4

New section 20 (6) and (7)

insert

    (6)     To ensure that school communities affected by closing or amalgamating a government school are adequately consulted, the Minister must, before a decision is made on the proposal—

        (a)     tell the school communities about the proposal; and

        (b)     listen to, and consider, their views.

    (7)     The consultation must be done in a way that gives effect to the following principles:

        (a)     consultation should focus on access to, and the provision of, quality educational opportunities;

        (b)     consultation should be open and transparent;

        (c)     consultation should lead to sustainable decisions by involving effective community engagement;

        (d)     without limiting paragraph (c), consultation should ensure that—

              (i)     relevant information is provided in a timely and accessible way to enable maximum community participation in debate about the proposal; and

              (ii)     opportunities are provided for feedback about the proposal, especially from families and other people with significant interest in the proposal;

        (e)     consultation should include seeking the views of school boards that are likely to be affected by the proposal.