Page 142 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2019
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All of these factors are beyond the ACT government’s direct control. In the fullness of time, they may turn out to be simply temporary impacts that can be partially or fully reversed in future budgets or updates. We have made the decision to continue our fiscal strategy as we intended. There is nothing in the national or international events at this point that would necessitate a change in the government’s fiscal strategy. However, we will, of course, monitor the early federal budget, the pre-election budget, and any commitments made during the forthcoming federal election campaign and the impacts that they may or may not have on the ACT. Certainly, any further announcements from the federal coalition government in relation to stripping more public servant jobs out of Canberra would be detrimental to our territory’s economy, and I fear there may be more such announcements forthcoming.
Schools—bullying
MR PARTON: My question is to the minister for education. Minister, in an email to parents, the principal of a Tuggeranong primary school has recently written, “Senior students had been reminded that hitting, kicking, punching and swearing at other students are not acceptable.” Minister, what are the consequences when students do these things?
MS BERRY: As I said before, it is difficult to say how a school would respond to an individual circumstance when it occurs. But throughout all the programs that are in place in schools, there are policies and procedures that schools have in place to ensure that they manage these situations appropriately. I could not stand here, without context behind an individual circumstance, to say how a school responded and whether that was appropriate or not.
I will say, though, Madam Speaker, that I understand that the Canberra Liberals want to make sure that our schools have all these processes in place and that our teachers are properly qualified and have the support to manage these situations. Of course, it is terrible when a child gets hurt in our schools. I have absolute sympathy for parents and families where a situation like this occurs.
I understand that it is a terrible thing to have to go through. It is quite a difficult thing for parents and for the school community to work through these kinds of issues. So the directorate and I make sure that there are processes in place and that school teachers are properly supported and have these supports, often from outside the school, to be able to support those families and those children. But it is a terrible time for families; I understand that.
We want to make sure that we work with school communities to ensure that they are positive learning places and that they are safe places for children to go to. That is why I spoke yesterday about the positive behaviours for learning program, amongst a whole bunch of other programs that are available in schools. But I know that at the moment when a child is injured, that is a terrible time for a family to go through. So we need to make sure that our schools are properly supported and that they can support those families and that child. (Time expired.)
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