Page 3374 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 18 September 2013
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speech applications. On 23 August I had the pleasure to launch the virtual learning environment at Melba Copland Secondary School. Since 2011 the government has invested approximately $800,000 in VLEs in 13 schools. The VLEs allow teachers and students from across the country and internationally to collaborate as part of their learning program.
An additional $7.1 million is also committed in the 2013-14 financial year to underpin the continued success of ICT in our schools. This investment will allow us to deliver curriculum, assessment and professional development of our teachers and students. It will enable the pooling and sharing of knowledge and resources to promote learning across all our public schools.
The ACT Education and Training Directorate is currently implementing a project to connect the separate networks of all our schools together into a single centralised network. The ACT will be the first jurisdiction to digitally connect all schools together on a single high speed fibre network, and high speed broadband is critical to providing conditions to foster ICT in our schools and the broader community.
The government continues to drive innovation and change through the way we educate our young people and the access to ICT we provide in our schools. This government will continue to encourage student engagement, participation and access to digital tools and ensure that all students graduate with the skills required to prosper, to drive growth and to innovate in our future.
This motion notes the work of NICTA, a very fine organisation that was established in 2002. I think it has been mentioned today that the new federal government sworn in today has been criticised by many, including from within its own party, for being “schizophrenic on science” and having no minister for science. Mr Doszpot, indeed, you have declared here this morning your support for NICTA. I hope when you next meet Mr Seselja you let him know your views and that you ask the man on the hill who you are so friendly with to speak up and to denounce the cuts to NICTA.
I will reflect on some of the Liberal Party’s views on NICTA.
Members interjecting—
MS BURCH: Mr Assistant Speaker, are you controlling the chamber, or are you just amusing yourself?
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Doszpot): Excuse me. Sit down, please, Ms Burch. Sit down, please.
MS BURCH: Can we stop the clock?
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Please stop the clock. I do not need instructions from you, Ms Burch. Can members please refrain from any further interjection for the moment? Carry on.
MS BURCH: Thank you. I will just recap a bit of the history of the Liberal Party’s views on NICTA. In December last year Harrison Polites said:
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