Page 5321 - Week 12 - Thursday, 28 October 2010
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MR DOSZPOT: Thank you. Minister Barr spent the major part of his allotted time talking to us about budget-related issues over the past eight or nine years, trying to denigrate the opposition—the tactical moves that the Stanhope opposition used year after year and, as Mr Barr often does when he paints himself into a circle, he goes on the attack. He has got no answers so he has to hit back in whatever way he can.
The unfortunate part of all this is that during his allotted time he did not for one minute address the matter of public importance that Mr Smyth has raised for us to consider this afternoon. There was one comment that he did make and that was that “education is not always about students”. I hope I have quoted him correctly there, but that is to the best of my recollection. I would remind you that this matter of public importance is actually about the importance of supporting teachers who assist students with a disability.
Mr Barr: I’d go and check the Hansard before you—
MR DOSZPOT: We will check the Hansard and I am prepared to have a talk to you about that later. This is a timely subject in light of the changes Minister Barr has proposed. This MPI is a good grounding for focusing on the fundamentals of what education is all about—as a life enabler for all children. It has been an emotionally charged several weeks with the minister’s proposed dividend cuts and lack of leadership. Over the last two weeks we have witnessed monkey and organ grinder politics at its best between Minister Barr and the Greens spokesperson for education, Ms Hunter. It was interesting to hear Ms Hunter accuse me in her remarks in the Assembly yesterday of not working with the Greens.
For the record, this is rather disingenuous. I am glad to hear from some parents this morning that she has finally got around to emailing some of the affected families I introduced her to, after she had rolled the motion to quarantine vital school support services from the dividend cuts last week. Again, leadership is very much about taking responsibility for one’s actions. I hope that Ms Hunter in future strives for a clear conscience on this matter.
But back to the matter at hand: it is disheartening to see the government not understand that very basic principles like the need for disability support services is vital in enabling students and teachers to excel in what they do—that being learning and teaching. If the government took the time to listen to the concerns of the parents affected by the minister’s targeting of school support services for their children, they would see the overwhelming support by parents for their children’s support staff and teachers.
It was also inspirational to see members of the teaching profession step up in the name of defending their students. Madam Assistant Speaker, if I may quote the minister out of context and give the minister’s words a less cynical spin, it was inspirational to see the “pure dedication to the profession and the joy of helping develop young minds”. To paraphrase a teacher, here is an example:
I am a Preschool relief teacher, and I see the widespread anxiety and disbelief that this decision has caused.
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