Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 04 Hansard (Tuesday, 30 March 2004) . . Page.. 1314 ..

the ACT do operate on this value on a day-to-day basis. I have nothing but praise for government schools that I have dealt with in the ACT for the way in which they inculcate these values and for the way they communicate with parents when there are breakdowns in these values. From my experience, for the most part government schools do a great job. But that does not mean that we should not be highlighting values as an important element, like safety. If you cannot participate in your education in a way that ensures that your values are respected and people are tolerant of you, if you cannot go into a school expecting that to happen, it means that your capacity to learn will be undermined. This is really about ensuring that we have the best possible education system. I commend Mr Pratt’s amendments to the house.

MR PRATT (5.03): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to speak again.

Leave granted.

MR PRATT: I want to pick up on a couple of comments made by crossbenchers on my amendment No 2. It is commonsense to provide a safe learning environment. But I do not know whether any crossbencher or anybody in this place is able to show me where we have that principle enshrined. I know that it is clearly written in policy and other guideline documents around the place that certain steps will be taken to ensure that kids learn safely and that teachers teach in a safe place. What I am saying, though, is that I believe that those principles need to be placed in the bill. It is important for that to be included in the bill as an enshrined principle. I thank the government for supporting my amendment.

I turn now to my amendment No 3. The first point I make is that, while Ms Tucker’s previously discussed amendment was laudable—it is to “promote respect for and tolerance of others” and I agree with it in principle—I still do not think it covered enough ground. I put it to you that my proposed amendment No 3 is more embracing. The question of character development and the issue relating to values are matters which the community is talking about and families are asking for. Why we would not want to put a statement into the bill about values and character development is absolutely beyond my comprehension.

Ms Dundas says that the amendment is “a tad too prescriptive”. I put it to you, Ms Dundas, that these are issues that the community is asking to be enshrined in legislation and imposed by our schools. I think it is very important that they are included. I implore you to support this amendment.

Question put:

That Mr Pratt’s amendments Nos 2 and 3 be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .