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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 04 Hansard (Tuesday, 30 March 2004) . . Page.. 1310 ..

rather see a very concise statement, ensuring that every child is given a chance to be supported by the department and gets the best possible education.

Amendment agreed to.

MS GALLAGHER (Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Minister for Women and Minister for Industrial Relations) (4.45): I seek leave to move amendments Nos 2 and 3 circulated in my name together.

Leave granted.

MS GALLAGHER: I move amendments Nos 2 and 3 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 1371]. These amendments simply seek to include “home education” after the words “school education” in paragraphs 2(a) and (b) to recognise the validity of home education and satisfy HENCAST’s request.

Amendments agreed to.

MS TUCKER (4.46): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 4 at page 1382]. I am moving this amendment as a generic acknowledgement of the value of values in the general principles of the education we aim to deliver. I would have thought that no-one could disagree with the aim to “promote respect for and tolerance of others” whatever the educational system or philosophy one is working with. The enlistment of the territory’s teachers into working with parents to develop character was suggested by the P&C in response to opposition spokesman Steve Pratt’s proposal. While that is too vague a direction and could lead us up all sorts of disturbing alleys, “respect for and tolerance of others” is something that surely can be encouraged in legislation.

MS DUNDAS (4.47): The Democrats are happy to support this amendment. It will encourage within our schools the promotion of respect for and tolerance of others. It is a very important principle to include. It is a move to make the ACT more of a world leader in its commitment to teaching and encouraging tolerance, something that is vitally important and quite necessary in the current climate.

MS GALLAGHER (Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Minister for Women and Minister for Industrial Relations) (4.47): The government is happy to support this amendment. I think it is a very positive amendment to this section.

Amendment agreed to.

MR PRATT (4.48): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 3 at page 1376]. This amendment provides for acts of self-defence when appropriate and reasonable physical force is used only to prevent physical injury to a person. This allows teachers and people involved in the education of children of school age in the ACT to defend themselves or others against physical injury. This is an issue that has been raised by stakeholders and represents the concerns of teachers. The aim of this amendment is not to allow people to strike children but to allow teachers or those involved in education to intervene in a situation between two children or, where another child is being beaten, to exercise reasonable restraint—I stress the word “restraint”—of a child who may be

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