Page 1880 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 June 2022
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The Education Amendment Bill 2022, in conjunction with the proposed government amendments that I have outlined today, takes important steps towards ensuring that children and young people have access to education, by providing clarity as to when a suspension, transfer, expulsion or exclusion can be enacted and outlining the steps that must be taken when taking these actions. It also ensures oversight of student movement through the reporting of un-enrolments, terminations of contract, transfers, expulsions and exclusions by all schooling sectors, as recommended by a coronial inquest into the tragic death of a child in our community.
The bill also reduces the administrative burden and streamlines the non-government school registration and review process, outlines clear registration standards and introduces the registration standards advisory board to support the oversight of non-government schools. These changes will ensure that the community can continue to be confident in the high quality education provided by non-government schools and that these schools can get on with the core business of educating children and young people.
Madam Speaker, this government is committed to ensuring the protection of children and young people, as well as their access to high quality education. This government is also committed to the safety of all people in our schools, including students and staff. This bill makes our commitment clear. Our stakeholders are key partners in delivering the reforms proposed by the bill and they, like this government, are committed to ensuring that children have access to high quality education, and to ensuring that students stay connected in the education system.
Finally, I would like to take a moment to thank all of our stakeholders who participated through the consultation process for this legislation. Feedback provided from unions, school representatives, parent representatives and community groups has been critical in developing this legislation, and I am very grateful for your honest and thoughtful engagement. I would also like to thank education officials who have made this legislation happen: Deb Efthymiades, Dr Nicole Moore, Rebecca Travers, Isabel Hartley and Duncan Grey. Some of you are here in the gallery and some of you are watching online. I have really appreciated how consultative you have been through this entire process. Well done, and thank you. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail stage
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Women) (5.27), by leave: I move amendments Nos 1 to 46 circulated in my name together [see schedule 1 at page 1889]. I table a supplementary explanatory statement to the amendments.
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