Page 4202 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 26 November 2013
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MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Gentleman, I did not hear the beginning of that properly. Could you repeat it?
MR GENTLEMAN: Yes. I asked the minister what did the report tell her about the employment—
MADAM SPEAKER: The report; sorry, yes.
MS BURCH: I am pleased to report that 91 per cent of our year 12 graduates were studying at the time of the survey or were intending to start some study in the next two years. This shows the high proportion of our year 12 students who have an opportunity to continue their education after leaving school. As well as having a large proportion of year 12 graduates studying six months after leaving school, 60 per cent were studying in the year following completion of year 12. The ACT also has a high number of students intending to start study in the next two years.
Over three-quarters of the year 12 graduates not studying at the time of the survey were intending to start some study in the next two years. This was consistent with the national trend to take a gap year, as reported by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Eighty-six per cent of the graduates who were intending to study in the next two years were employed at the time of the survey, 39 per cent were travelling and 11 per cent were participating in voluntary work. In this year’s survey 74 per cent of the year 12 students who graduated in 2012 were employed six months after finishing school and the most common occupations were community and personal service workers as well as sales workers. All in all, this is a very positive story for our students.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, why did the government agree to Gonski funding that was $30 million less than had previously been agreed to under the national partnerships and special purpose payments?
MS BURCH: What it gave to the ACT was consistent and reliable funding with a guaranteed three per cent rate for all students. We have had the argument through budget and through annual reports that the national partnerships were not any longer in existence. I would encourage those opposite to look at the transcript that is coming from Christopher Pyne, who has not had the decency, as I understand it, to make contact with the Chief Minister or me. He is doing policy announcements through the media and he is not impressing any of his state or territory colleagues.
Before a meeting on Friday he is saying that it is a shambles and we need to go back to the drawing board. That is saying to nearly 70,000 students here in the ACT that the federal government has no concern or regard for the certainty and assurance of their funding. It has no regard for funding a school system based on need. It has no regard for quality teaching or a quality learning experience.
Christopher Pyne has said it needs to go back to the drawing board, back to an SES system. I refer to the New South Wales education minister who said that no-one
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