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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2237 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

huge shift. There seems to have been some slight demographic change in government schooling, and whilst there is a slight increase in the Catholic education system there is a decrease in the Anglican and other non-government systems. Indeed, the Catholic education increase seems to have been largely because of the greater enrolments at the relatively new Nicholls Holy Spirit School. Luckily, we have not yet seen any dramatic effect in the Territory. In Victoria and New South Wales it is a different story. It seems the EBA scheme is wrong, and we need to be very careful of that. I am now hopeful that, as a result of pressure brought on the Commonwealth by every State and Territory, they will revise that. I thank Mr Moore again for raising that, and indeed Ms McRae, who has mentioned that as well.

Ms Tucker mentioned a number of things, including equity in the public school system and sport. This Government, I think, not only is well aware of that but also has done a number of things to assist, including the schools equity fund and our readiness to really bend over backwards in terms of assisting schools and even relooking at any schools that might well need assistance. I have already spoken on that at length earlier this session; so, I will not go any further. There have been a number of initiatives this Government has taken, for Ms Tucker's benefit. I have a list of some. Yes, we have put a rightful emphasis on such things as physical education and health. We have conducted and are in the process of finalising the very lengthy but very thorough special education review. There has been literacy and numeracy testing. It is not only testing; you might note that we took into account the P and C's request for a review to take appropriate action as a result of what we find from the literacy and numeracy review. We are looking at better ways of spending money there. That is something we have done. Whilst we accept there might be a few hiccups in relation to school-based management, the enhanced school-based management, I think, is something that will greatly benefit schools. Already we are getting some very good feedback on that.

In regard to vocational education and training in schools, quite clearly, we have excellent retention rates - about 91 per cent - but still only a third of those kids go on to university and tertiary education. What about the rest of them? Assisting them in practical courses that might get them into jobs is terribly important. This Government, well before the Federal Liberal Government, had a great emphasis on improving vocational education and training opportunities for our senior students in Years 11 and 12. We have also, as you can see in this budget - and it carries on from previous ones - upgraded science areas and technology areas in high schools and colleges around the town. That is terribly important in terms of keeping our government schooling system at the forefront in those areas. I thank Ms McRae for her comments.

I remind Ms Tucker that the Government has increased education funding by the CPI increase and indeed this year, with the CPI increase at 1.75, it is the CPI increase plus; it is more like a 3 per cent increase. I think that is terribly important as well. With the literacy and numeracy fund, as I indicated, I think, in answer to a question, the key stakeholders - the union, teachers, principals, et cetera - wanted more time to do it properly. I do not have a problem with that. Ms Tucker, in relation to your claim about part of those affidavits, they stayed in this Assembly. Unfortunately, we cannot control what the press does in terms of accessing information they can get from the court. I do not think any of that was handled atrociously at all.

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