Page 1571 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 June 2007
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In relation to the individual cases that Mr Pratt referred to in his preamble to the first question, I do not have the detail in front of me in terms of the individual school response. Of course, if these are allegations that have been made, they should be appropriately investigated. One would presume that, if the matters have been raised on commercial radio in Canberra and raised with the opposition, they should have been referred to police. I would be most concerned to hear that the allegations have been sitting with Mr Pratt for some time and he has not raised them with the police. That would be very concerning.
However, as I have indicated previously, the government undertook a review of procedures within ACT government schools. That review has been a 12-month piece of work. Changes were made to protocols within the ACT public education system and they came into effect on 15 May following a series of stakeholder meetings with staff, with the parents and citizens council and with a variety of other stakeholders—the principals association, amongst others.
My department has taken a very proactive response to the concerns that have been raised. I reject the assertion from Mr Pratt that there are no moral values in ACT public schools. That is outrageous. To suggest that I, as minister, do not uphold moral values within our public education system is an outrageous slur for Mr Pratt to make. If he seriously believes that I, as minister, am responsible for lowering moral standards within our public education system, let him make that statement outside this place. If that is the insinuation in Mr Pratt’s questions, that I, as minister, have failed to uphold moral values—
Mr Pratt: You do not care to find out and to follow these allegations up.
MR BARR: within our public education system, this is an outrageous—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Pratt, Mr Barr has the floor.
MR BARR: It is an outrageous accusation to make, one with no basis at all—only to achieve a cheap headline, clearly. As I said, we have put in place—
Mr Pratt: Andrew, you are letting our kids down. You are not following up.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Pratt!
MR BARR: a new set of protocols that do require immediate reporting to a director of school any bullying or assault issue within a school—a written report within 24 hours. Police are obviously involved in cases of serious assault. What I am concerned to hear in particular in Mr Pratt’s question is that allegations are being made on commercial radio and not being referred to the police. It does lead you to question: if these matters have not been referred to the police, why are these allegations being made on commercial radio?
Mr Pratt: They have been referred to the police—
MR BARR: If they have been referred to the police, Mr Pratt—
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