XN000022-1982-03-24 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1982

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INCENTIVE IN SOCIAL WORK SHOULD BE RECOGNISED

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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD RECOGNISE THE VALUE OF INCENTIVE IN RELATION TO THE PART PLAYED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES FIELDS, THE REV THE HON JOYCE BENNETT TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

AND SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF INCENTIVE MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS THEY ANALYSE THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE TO SUBVENTED BODIES.

MISS BENNETT WAS COMMENTING ON THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S REMARKS ON THE RIGHT SHARE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN THE ECONOMY, AND OF THE IMPERATIVE NEED TO CONTROL ITS UNIVERSALLY PROLIFIC AND WEED-LIKE GROWTH+,

+1 AM CONCERNED, HOWEVER, LEST HIS NEED TO CONTROL ITS *WEED-LIKE GROWTH WILL LEAD TO CONSTRAINTS ON THE PROPER DEVELOPMENT IN THE EDUCATIONAL, MEDICAL AND HEALTH, AND SOCIAL WELFARE FIELDS,+ SHE SAID.

SHE NOTED THAT THE SHARE OF THE SUBVENTED BODIES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN EDUCATION FOR 1982-83 AMOUNTS TO MORE THAN $3 912 MILLION OR OVER 82 PER CENT OF THE WHOLE EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION.

WHILE SHE AGREED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO DEMAND SOME CONTROL OF THESE VAST AMOUNTS OF MONEY, SHE WONDERED HOW MUCH FURTHER CONTROL THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD EXERCISE OVER THESE SUBVENTED AGENCIES.

+MANY OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE PAPERS OF THIS COUNCIL REFER TO 'THE DEGREE OF CONTROL' EXERCISED BY GOVERNMENT OVER THE SPONSORING BODIES THAT PROVIDE THESE SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

+IT IS TO THIS DEGREE OF CONTROL THAT I WANT US TO PAY ATTENTION THIS AFTERNOON, BECAUSE I SEE A GREAT DANGER EMERGING THAT GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO EXTEND THIS CONTROL FROM ONE OF A DEGREE OF CONTROL TO THAT OF COMPLETE CONTROL, SHE WARNED.

TO ILLUSTRATE THIS FROM THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD, MISS BENNETT REMARKED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD OVER MANY YEARS CONTROLLED THE GRANT, SUBSIDISED AND AIDED SCHOOLS THROUGH THE VARIOUS CODES OF AID.

THESE CODES OF AID, TOGETHER WITH THE CODES OF AID FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS, ARE CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW. BUT BEFORE THESE ARE FINALISED, SHE POINTED OUT, THERE ARE ALREADY NEW REGULATIONS IMPOSED ON THE SPONSORS WHO RUN THESE SCHOOLS.

+AND IT IS THESE NEW REGULATIONS AND CONTROLS THAT ARE BEGINNING TO ALARM THE SPONSORS, SO MUCH SO THAT ONE WELL-KNOWN SPONSORING BODY HAS ALREADY TOLD THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT THAT IT WOULD NOT RUN ONE OF THE NEW SCHOOLS AS REQUESTED AS THE CONDITIONS THAT GOVERNMENT WISHES TO IMPOSE WERE UNACCEPTABLE.+

/MISS BENNETT