Page 919 - Week 03 - Thursday, 7 April 2022
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concerns of the parents. It is fair that the minister respond to the concerns raised by the parent. To spend her time answering the question by attacking the opposition for quoting this is not relevant to the question.
MR ACTING SPEAKER: The minister has 27 seconds to directly answer the question.
MS BERRY: I can assure parents that supports are in place at the school for teachers, school staff, students and their families to get them through what has been a very difficult time. I suggest that what we could do in this place is to support them through this period.
MS CASTLEY: I have a supplementary question. Minister, what options are available to parents who do not wish to send their children back to Calwell, knowing they may get injured or abused?
MS BERRY: Again, the irresponsible comments suggesting that students will get injured at a school are beyond the pale in this place, when a school has been going through a difficult period—that we would not be supporting them more.
Mr Hanson: Point of order again, on relevance. The member is attacking the opposition for asking a question that is a quote from a parent.
MR ACTING SPEAKER: What is your point of order, Mr Hanson?
Mr Hanson: My point of order is on relevance. You have to answer the question that is being asked. You cannot spend the whole time attacking the opposition because you do not like the question. The minister is just attacking the opposition, not answering the question. That is not relevant to the question.
Mr Gentleman: Point of order. Raising a point of order is a point; you cannot debate the question in raising the point of order; you simply put the point of order.
MR ACTING SPEAKER: Minister, I ask you to be relevant to the question, please.
MS BERRY: Thank you, Mr Acting Speaker, but I was. I was rephrasing the question that was asked of me to understand what it exactly was. The suggestion that children would be unsafe or would be injured if they returned to school is not helpful. I encourage members of this place who are contacted by families from schools, that they speak to their school communities so that they can be reassured that they will be safe there.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MR HANSON: These sorts of comments are really unhelpful for this school community and for all of our schools.
Opposition members interjecting—
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