Page 3125 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 2013
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MS BURCH: I do thank Dr Bourke for his question. Just before I go to the answer, I will look at the transcript from Mr Doszpot and Ms Lawder’s questions because I think there was an inference that there were statements in the committee that were not parallel with a QoN. I have had a brief look—I think it is important, Madam Speaker—at the Hansard and I cannot find any reference—
MADAM SPEAKER: Ms Burch, can you sit down. Stop the clock. If you think that Mr Doszpot or Ms Lawder misrepresented you, you have standing orders to address that. At the moment you are answering Dr Bourke’s question, and I would ask you to be directly relevant to Dr Bourke’s question.
MS BURCH: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I will take your advice on that matter. Indeed, on enrolments, I think I came into this place earlier this year, following the February census of ACT schools which showed overall growth in school numbers across the ACT, as reflected in the growth of our city, and referred to that.
But what was very pleasing in the census this year was that it continued a positive trend of enrolments into the public education system, a trend that started in 2009 when this government made a concerted effort and investment in our public education. That has continued. I think there is a close on two per cent growth this year into the public education system. As I said, that is a positive trend.
In response to some of the earlier questions around information on government schools, I encourage all those opposite to have a good read of the ACT school census which goes school by school, in the public and in the non-government arenas, and has absolute numbers per class in the number of schools across there.
Dr Bourke made reference to a QoN, QoN 197, and I am quite relieved that Mr Doszpot only gave me this question once instead of three times like he has done with other questions. His question here was: what are the school capacity numbers for each—(Time expired.)
Economy—skilled migration
MRS JONES: My question is to the Minister for Economic Development, who is still able to manage a smile. Minister, in answer to a question taken on notice, the government advised that it has engaged KPMG to review aspects of the territory’s skilled migration program due to be finalised in July 2013. Minister, when did the government commission this study, and what is the value of this contract?
MR BARR: That information would be available on the Shared Services Procurement website. I would refer the member to that site.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Minister, what aspects of the ACT’s skilled migration program did this review look into, and what were its findings?
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