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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2238 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

I remind Ms Tucker perhaps especially - and Ms McRae might be aware of this - that the comments on this budget from a number of the key stakeholders were not too bad. In fact, I recently got a letter from the P and C about something else - so, I am certainly not going to table it - which started off with congratulations to the Government for maintaining education funding in this budget. Certainly, I thank them for those comments. That is so. I even noticed comments by the union, the AEU, in relation to this budget that, because of the current economic situation, they really did not have too much cause for complaint. I think that is certainly a quite realistic attitude by the union.

Ms McRae mentioned a number of points. She mentioned we had maintained funding. I thank her for acknowledging that. She mentioned concerns about the budget papers and some 12 very important areas in terms of matters that were not dealt with in the papers. I also note Ms McRae indicated that perhaps these should be listed in the annual reports. That might be the correct place. Like you, Ms McRae, I am not an expert as to where they should be. I hear what you say, and I think there is a fair bit of strength in what you say. That may well be a better place for them. I think if they appeared in the budget papers, which are just that - budget papers - quite clearly, each volume would be as big as Webster's Dictionary. That probably would not be desirable. There is certainly a lot of force and strength in what you say. Maybe those things should be highlighted somewhere. Like you, I am not an expert. Perhaps the annual reports would be a better place.

All in all, I think this government schooling education budget indicates this Government's commitment to public education. It has a number of significant initiatives. It ensures that we maintain our promise to increase funding in real terms and in accordance with the CPI. In fact, it goes a little beyond that. That is important because of some of the very important initiatives such as the extra money for literacy and numeracy training. There is extra money to upgrade the Year 12 student record-keeping system, which is absolutely essential - not only the government school system but also the non-government system uses it - so that those students will be able to get their certificates at the end of the school year. It serves other purposes as well.

I thank members for their comments. All in all, I think this budget certainly brings home the fact that this Government well and truly has a very strong, abiding and ongoing commitment to public education in the ACT. We have an excellent system which is, I think, acknowledged throughout the country. We keep seeing excellent results, the most recent being in the maths and science area by our nine-year-old kids. Last year, with the 14-year-olds, I think we were first in Australia and second in the world; and second and third, respectively, this time around. I think the senior kids, the college students, will probably have some results out fairly soon. I think that indicates the success of our public education system in the Territory. This budget, I think, as much as we possibly can in these difficult economic times, will continue that success and will continue to provide the quality of education that we do have.

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