Page 364 - Week 01 - Thursday, 16 February 2012
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stick it in the inkwell. We did not have calculators or abacuses even. We had to learn it all. We did not have any assistance, electronic or otherwise. Teachers used chalk.
I look at what is available for the young people today and I am absolutely amazed. I can only speculate that because of this incredible investment in modern teaching technology these kids aged 8, 9 and 10 are more advanced than I was when I was twice their age. I think it is down to the investment this government has made since 2001. We can take the credit for that. I can remember going around as a fairly new MLA in 1998, 2000, and I did not get that sense that I was walking into a space age school. I do now. I think it is absolutely remarkable.
All public schools in Canberra are wi-fi enabled and linked to an ultrafast fibre optic network. My house is not wi-fi enabled. Our public schools in the ACT are, as some eager commentators have already put it, iPad-ready. I do not have an iPad. It is scary putting an iPad in the hands of a person half your size. It is scary, but it is wonderful at the same time. With such a high quality computer network in place, the opportunities for learning are limited only by the students’ imaginations. How wonderful is that? Using their own netbooks, tablets or laptops, students can access historical archives online. They can read classic novels in e-book format. They can watch high definition videos of an exciting science experiment.
But the benefits are not just to the traditional subjects. Through our schools network students also have access to industry standard design software on their computers. We are talking here about giving students the tools to collaboratively publish their own newspaper, to write software apps. Madam Assistant Speaker, 12 months ago I did not know what an “app” was and now they are using them as teaching aids. They can edit movies and they can undertake digital artwork.
With instant access to online resources, we are giving students the opportunity to build the lifelong e-literacy skills that are central to the modern Australian economy. I might even suggest that if we want to compete on the global stage we must have people educated along the way, from primary school age onwards, so they have the same literacy, numeracy and technical skills as those people in the overseas markets with whom they will compete.
Labor sees as its most important job to ensure our young people get the best possible start in life. To us, this means providing the best infrastructure. It means having the best programs and facilities. It means having the most up-to-date computers and networks. It means looking after teachers and students.
Now let us focus our attention just for a few minutes on Tuggeranong and the Brindabella electorate in particular. I will remind those opposite of the enormous investment this government, the Labor government, made in Brindabella in recent years. All too often we think Brindabella is forgotten in the distribution of resources with the catchcry: “Gungahlin’s getting it. Why can’t we?” Or: “ Belconnen’s getting it. Why can’t we?” Well, this government has put an investment into Brindabella that reflects a vision as opposed to the crass opportunism of those opposite.
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