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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 5 Hansard (13 May) . . Page.. 1243 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

Some of the other highlights which Ms McRae, of course, did not mention include the $3.095m we are spending on upgrading specialist technology areas. Also, our science laboratories are in urgent need of improvements, and we are spending $2.835m there. Even in the non-government sector, there is an additional initiative of $200,000 for special education - something that sector has been on about for many years.

I find it rather amazing and somewhat hypocritical that the Opposition criticises what this Government is doing in education when we are, in fact, maintaining the spending in real terms, or a little more this year, when one harks back to the not so distant past, back in 1993, when the then ALP Government attempted to make some savings in education by reducing teacher numbers by some 80. That did not go down very well. That was an attempt by them to actually make savings. I think they are skating on rather thin ice when they criticise our effort. I repeat: In difficult economic times, we have maintained education spending in real terms. It has not been easy, but I think it shows the value, the importance and the emphasis this Government places on our education system; and it bears fruit, Mr Speaker. We have had some very good results in recent times. Only a few months ago two ACT students came second and third in a mathematics and science competition for students from not only Australian States but also other countries around the world; it was a world-wide competition. Two students in our public education system did that. I think that speaks volumes for the standing and effectiveness of our education system.

The CIT's capital works budget of $5.9m is the best for many years. It is also aiming for 200 extra places for students from semester one in 1998. In the vocational, education and training area, we have started a one-stop trainee and apprenticeship shop. That is a major breakthrough for employers and for both the local government and the Commonwealth Government, because it combines their training, information and support services into a one-stop trainee and apprenticeship shop. Instead of having to go through various government agencies, both ACT and Commonwealth, if you wanted to take on a trainee or an apprentice, now prospective employers will simply be able to visit our shopfront in Civic to find out all they need to know about taking on apprentices or trainees. If they cannot come there, the people there will go to them. That is a major initiative which I think has been very well received by business.

Mr Speaker, a 22 per cent increase in the number of traineeships in this year's Vocational Education and Training Authority budget will mean the number of traineeships available in Canberra has almost doubled since 1995. We reached the 2,000 mark for apprenticeships and traineeships in 1995. This year there are an estimated 3,325 people in apprenticeships and traineeships in the Australian Capital Territory. That is an excellent feat indeed.

In relation to the Children's, Youth and Family Services budget, we have not been idle. Mandatory reporting, of course, is coming in very soon. We have provided an extra $600,000 to meet the increased demands for substitute care places for children at risk. We have also provided an extra $200,000 to employ additional child protection workers to handle the impact of mandatory reporting of child abuse, and the training program the Government has undertaken in relation to the training of people who would be mandated to report child abuse has proceeded very well.

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