Page 3607 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
how recently they have been reviewed. However, all except the ACT have mandatory English or literacy requirements and many also have mathematics or numeracy requirements.
A number of the states also specify a minimum level of achievement for the award of their certificate. For example, in South Australia and the Northern Territory to be eligible for the award of a South Australian certificate of education, the students are required to complete the equivalent of at least two semesters in English-literacy subjects and at least one semester in maths-numeracy subjects at grade C or better.
In Western Australia, students must achieve a minimum level of literacy and numeracy based on the skills regarded as essential for individuals to meet the demands of everyday life and work in a knowledge-based economy to achieve a Western Australian certificate of education.
In Tasmania, students must achieve five minimum standards, including everyday adult reading, writing and communication and everyday adult mathematics to achieve a Tasmanian certificate of education. Students can demonstrate that they have met the standards by achieving a pass, which is a middle grade, in appropriate subjects or in special tests.
In Queensland, there are literacy and numeracy requirements for the award of the Queensland certificate of education, which can be met through sound achievement. The middle level of achievement in relevant subjects or special short courses, or a grade C on the Queensland core schools test.
Completion of an English course is mandatory for the award of the higher school certificate in New South Wales and the Victorian certificate of education, but currently no minimum standards are specified.
We here need to ensure that our students graduating from college have the skills—(Time expired.)
Bushfires—preparedness
MR SMYTH: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Minister, page 84 of volume 1 of your annual report says that maintenance was carried out on 407 kilometres of fire trails, yet page 27 of the same report identifies maintenance of 655 kilometres of fire trails. Page 84 says that only 35 out of 41 identified road maintenance activities were carried out, and that storm damage from both 2010 and 2012 has not yet been repaired. Minister, an official from your department said in relation to funding for fire trail maintenance that “it’s never enough”. Why have you not provided enough funding for the maintenance of fire trails, particularly given the fire season that we are facing?
MR RATTENBURY: I fundamentally reject the premise of Mr Smyth’s question. I also reject the fearmongering that he drove in Sunday’s Canberra Times. It is quite clear that the ACT government takes dealing with the fire threat that the ACT faces each summer very seriously. As I commented after Sunday’s Canberra Times, TAMS
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video