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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1375 ..

MS McRAE (continuing):

Having had it pointed out to me that I was wrong to call Mr Moore a grandstander and that this was an issue of grave concern, I then wrote to the five schools that were named. Two of them wrote back and three of them we now have telephone messages from. Mr Paul Marshall, the head teacher of Emmaus Christian School, said that the school was still going to respond, that they had not made up their mind and, really, he had no comment to make about my letter seeking his opinion on whether I should or should not support the Bill. Covenant was very concerned about the Bill in terms of the removal of parents' rights to allow the school to inflict corporal punishment.

Trinity Christian School said simply and straightforwardly, "It is not on". They do not use it, end of story. O'Connor Christian School said in their letter:

I refer to your letter of 27 February, 1997, concerning corporal punishment in independent schools, and thank you for the opportunity to respond.

This school does not currently use corporal punishment as a method of handling inappropriate behaviour in the school. However, I believe that it is important for the school to be able to make this decision for itself so that it is truly able to maintain its independence in matters of school governance and policy.

Independent Schools throughout Australia have developed an outstanding reputation over the years for providing a quality of education for their students which has been strongly endorsed by parents who continue to send their children to these schools in ever increasing numbers, despite rises each year in school fees.

Parents, School boards and Staff members in these schools do not need more interference from governments in their independence to determine a school policy in matters such as behaviour management.

I reiterate that they do not use corporal punishment. The International Christian School wrote:

In regards to corporal punishment the Australian International Christian School strongly supports the Biblical rights of parents to discipline their children with reasonable corporal punishment. The school administers this form of discipline with parental permission and stringently opposes any moves to remove this freedom from parents and independent schools.

This was from Youth with a Mission, Australian International Christian School, Federal Highway, Watson. The letter continues:

Thank you for canvassing the views of the AICS and I would urge you and your [colleagues] to oppose the Bill introduced by Mr Moore, a copy of which the school holds.

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