Page 4094 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 23 October 2018
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Mr Hanson: Madam Speaker, I have heard the term “bad boss” used by that side of the chamber on countless occasions. If we are going to say that the term “bad boss” is unparliamentary, that is news to me. I do not think that that is on the list. I will withdraw in this case but I would ask you to come back and say whether we are not allowed to use the phrase “bad boss” anymore and the impact that might have on you lot.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Hanson, for withdrawing. Minister, have you finished?
MS BERRY: Yes.
Schools—computers
MS ORR: My question is to the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development. Can the minister update the Assembly on the government’s delivery of a Chromebook to every public high school student?
MS BERRY: Yes, I can update the Assembly. The government went to the 2016 election with a commitment to provide every ACT public high school student with a laptop or tablet device. After being returned by the people of the ACT because of policies like this, which support Canberrans’ access to a decent life, we will continue to deliver on this important commitment.
Based on advice from the expert ministerial reference group, I determined that the government could deliver this commitment faster and to more students than initially anticipated: more students would get their laptop devices sooner. In the 2017 budget, the government allocated $11.483 million to the three-year better schools for our kids technology-enabled learning initiative.
Mr Barr interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Chief Minister, that won’t happen again, will it?
MS BERRY: Thank you, Chief Minister. During three weeks at the start of term 1 this year, the government’s Chromebook rollout began, with 14,886 devices issued to years 7 to 11 public high school students. A few weeks ago, the second procurement for this initiative was put out to tender, to give Chromebooks to year 7 students starting in 2019 as well as new students in years 8 to 12.
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: I will let you get a bit of silence, Ms Orr, before you ask your supplementary. Are you right there, Mrs Dunne?
MS ORR: Minister, why is the government providing school students with these devices?
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