Page 4146 - Week 13 - Thursday, 25 November 1993
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As has been announced in the budget and by Mr Wood, Education is looking at developing a longer-term plan; and that will be developed throughout this year. It will provide a planning base for the whole period 1994 to 1998. The plan will, of course, be undertaken in the widest possible consultation with the school communities, with the unions, and with other major interest groups; so it is not something that will be done in isolation or that will be imposed from on high, unlike the Liberals' plan to close 25 schools. Whom did they talk to about that? They announced it and then were surprised that, when they did eventually start talking to people, no-one agreed with it. Madam Speaker, the plan that will be developed will be developed in the fullest consultation, and the plan will be aimed at providing ongoing efficiencies within this program whilst maintaining the quality of education services.
I think it was Mr Cornwell who addressed this very issue of what happens in the future and how we protect the quality. There will be opportunity throughout the year for people to take part in a real debate on that matter. Of course, in that debate there has to be recognition that we would need also to look at the budgetary framework for this department over the forward years. So this is an opportunity to develop some very key issues, in full consultation.
Madam Speaker, in looking at the savings for this year and at the plan, I think there are a couple of other things that also ought to be said. I refer again to the Auditor-General's performance audit of the Government's schooling program. I believe that there has been some fairly crude reporting of the Auditor-General's report. I saw a headline that said that teachers are underworked and overpaid. That is not what the Auditor-General's report says. A more detailed reading of the Auditor-General's report would show that he has fully acknowledged the workload that teachers take on and the dedication of that profession, as do we all.
What the Auditor-General has said in his report is that there are some areas that could be looked at if you are seeking greater efficiencies in this particular program. It was a performance audit, and that is precisely what the Auditor-General was looking for in undertaking a performance audit - areas of greater efficiency in delivering this program. I think that it would be foolhardy indeed for the Assembly and for the Government to ignore the report of the Auditor-General. I consider that we have been extremely well served by his work. In all of his reports, we have been able to find ways of increasing the efficiency, the management competence and so on in all of our programs.
I am not about to ignore the Auditor-General's report, and I have no doubt that Mr Kaine is not about to ignore it either, as he is the presiding member of the Public Accounts Committee and will, of course, be examining that Auditor-General's report as fully as he does all other Auditor-General's reports. So do not kid yourselves that you can just put it to one side and pretend that it did not happen. It did, and its recommendations, its line of argument, must be taken seriously. Madam Speaker, the strategies that are being implemented this year in education will also be linked to educational developments at the national level, and they will focus on improving educational standards and vocational education and training needs in this Territory.
There has been some debate about why the savings have been targeted in the way they have, and why they cannot all come out of the central office. A substantial savings effort has been made in the central office over the years and savings are required again this year. Again, members have conveniently overlooked that fact - that there will be further savings in that area.
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