Page 237 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 2019
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These amendments are necessary to correct factual errors in the motion. They deal with the pretty silly and extremely selfish position that has been put out by the opposition. I will go through some of those arguments but, in a nutshell, it is not about any of us. It is not about you, Ms Lee; it is not about anyone on this side of the chamber. It is about the 49,000 students and 3,700 teachers who have a right to teach and learn in environments without being required to stop everything and host a local MLA whenever it suits.
Those people are entitled to have visits to their schools managed in a responsible way, and that is the job I have been doing since taking the education portfolio. If that seems a bit harsh, well, I am sorry, but this motion proves why it is required. It is troubling that this motion is all about what MLAs can get out of involving themselves in school communities. It does not consider why schools exist, and the implications of what Ms Lee is suggesting for students in the school. Ms Lee seems to suggest that it is reasonable that schools should be available for politicians to wander through for electoral purposes at their own convenience. I am afraid this is not okay.
Yes, on appropriate terms school visits are a welcome part of learning, and in that context I approve them. The directorate sent along officers on the visits Ms Lee has been on to support with advice and information that might not be available at the school level. The DLO in my office is always timely with arranging school visits. Sometimes there are diary clashes and arrangements that do not work and visits can take a little more time to organise.
For the record, neither I nor my office has ever told the Education Directorate to uninvite anyone from any school visit. The reporting of the Canberra Times on that was not correct. The policy in place performs a very necessary function in making sure schools are not taken advantage of or politicised. On this issue the opposition record is unfortunately concerning. Take their display of how they tried to beat up a crisis and panic over asbestos at Harrison School. Would it have been right for them or anyone to be wandering through the school at that point? Take the kinds of statements Ms Lee has been making about public school teachers and their union as the government worked with the union to address occupational violence. Take this week’s tactics in relation to Theodore. Should any of us be there right now?
Beyond these examples, there are very important matters of principle at play. Most importantly, the government school system exists to provide education-related services to children and young people. It is there to serve the interests of students. In doing this, the government school system fulfils its purpose. That purpose is there for all members to read in the Education Act enacted by this Assembly, in section 18, and it is the minister who is responsible for the effective operation of government schools.
This is a pretty simple part of the system of constitutional government that exists in the ACT. The executive, the ministers of this place, are responsible under the self-government act for government administration. Under the self-government act, that includes the delivery of education. The education minister is responsible for the administration of the government school system and its schools.
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