Page 942 - Week 04 - Thursday, 3 May 2007
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MR SMYTH: You did not approve it; fine. Chief Minister, to what extent has the decision of the voting shareholders—you and the Deputy Chief Minister—not to comply with the Territory-Owned Corporations Act led to Rhodium incurring a loss of $856,000 in the 2005-06 financial year?
MR STANHOPE: Not at all.
Education—policy
MS PORTER: My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Mr Barr. As Mrs Dunne is not interested in education, I thought I had better ask a question about education. Minister, can you update the Assembly on the recent report released by the states and territories, entitled The future of schooling in Australia?
MR BARR: I thank Ms Porter for her third question this week on education and for her longstanding interest in education. The Adelaide Declaration on the National Goals for Schooling in the 21st Century was agreed by education ministers in 1999. This declaration committed all Australian governments to a national framework for schooling and for achieving the best outcomes for students.
Members may be aware that the first meeting of the Council for the Australian Federation, made up of the state premiers and territory chief ministers, was held in October last year. That council concluded that “the Commonwealth has abandoned the spirit and intent of the Adelaide declaration”. Having experienced two ministerial council meetings with Julie Bishop, I cannot but concur with the views of the Council for the Australian Federation.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR BARR: Because our side of politics always likes to put forward positive ideas and a positive policy agenda—
Mrs Dunne: Like the one that Kate Lundy voted for at the last federal council.
MR BARR: first ministers undertook to remain focused on achieving the best possible outcomes—
Mrs Dunne: No funding for government schools.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mrs Dunne!
MR BARR: Because our side of politics is the only side of politics prepared to put forward a positive policy agenda on education, first ministers undertook to “remain focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for Australian children and their families by concentrating on the common objectives of all Australian governments”. The council agreed to “review the Adelaide declaration to ensure that it continues to provide the best possible framework for the education of our children”.
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