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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3815 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

a large number of teachers are anticipated to retire within the next 10 years; indeed, a great many in the next five years.

Another difference is that the ACT does not have any schools in geographically remote areas. Therefore, the supply difficulties which are experienced by virtually every other state and territory are not an issue for us. Our geography does not raise problems with persuading teachers to teach in remote areas; we simply do not have to face that problem. Finally, while the ACT experiences areas of shortage similar to those in other states and territories, such as in mathematics, science and information technology, our teaching workforce is unique in its composition and is therefore more responsive to changes in teacher numbers.

I agree that a national examination of the matter would be helpful, but I am very much of the view that an inquiry by the standing committee would greatly assist in identifying issues relating specifically to the ACT teaching workforce and providing recommendations for addressing some of those issues at the ACT level. The government is not the font of all knowledge. Even though I have disagreed with this committee on a number of issues, I have always found some most useful material in its reports and some excellent recommendations in certain areas on which the government has acted but would not necessarily have do so otherwise.

The department is aware of the supply and demand issues in the ACT and is already implementing workforce planning strategies to address them, including recruitment strategies and things such as the teacher renewal program. The committee's findings would be valuable in assisting the department's workforce planning strategy. Mr Speaker, an examination of the matter from an ACT perspective is necessary, particularly a look at issues around the demographic profile of the ACT teaching workforce and the impact of this leadership capacity.

There were some pretty pertinent comments in the Canberra Times in terms of what committees of this Assembly should and should not do. The education committee has had a number of self - referrals, which is fine. I do not think the government has been referring to it as much as it has been referring to some other committees. We have been mindful of the work of the committee.

This motion has been sitting on the notice paper for six months. I have amended the reporting date. I am amenable to the committee taking a little longer then May 2001 to complete the inquiry, but I do stress to members of this Assembly that this inquiry is about a crucially important issue for the government education system. Teachers, obviously, are absolutely vital to any system and inquiries such as this would be greatly beneficial to our students ultimately and to ACT education. I commend the motion to members of the Assembly. As I said, I would be amenable to the committee taking longer than May 2001.

MR KAINE (11.25): I must admit that I was a little curious when I saw this motion on the notice paper. I was curious because I thought that the sort of question that the minister was seeking to refer to the committee was the very sort of question that his own department should be answering. In fact, it presumes that there is some knowledge of these matters in the department already. If there is not, his department has been grossly derelict in its duties.

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