Page 606 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 2019
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I thank the Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing for its contribution to Age friendly Canberra—a vision for our city. I also thank Canberrans who have participated in consultations. Your insights have been integral in setting the direction of Canberra’s future. This is the first step we are taking in developing an integrated and truly whole-of-government age-friendly city plan.
We have begun working across directorates to create this integrated plan to ensure that we are continually improving this city so that people of all ages can feel that they belong, that they are valued and that they have the opportunity to participate. I look forward to launching the plan in 2020.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
School chaplains
Discussion of matter of public importance
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Cody): Madam Speaker has received letters from Miss C Burch, Ms Cheyne, Ms Cody, Mr Coe, Mrs Dunne, Mrs Kikkert, Ms Le Couteur, Ms Lee, Mr Milligan, Ms Orr, Mr Parton, Mr Pettersson and Mr Wall proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, Madam Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Mr Coe be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The importance of school chaplains.
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (3.01): I am delighted to stand in the chamber today in support of not only the school chaplains of the ACT but also the concept and the program that support them, the national school chaplaincy program. It is an excellent commonwealth-funded program that serves our community and serves the country very well. School chaplains can be from any faith; however, all chaplains must be qualified by set government standards and recognised by their religious institution.
While chaplains can be and are religious themselves, they do not preach in schools. As is stated in the national agreement, they must respect, accept, and be sensitive to other people’s views, values, and beliefs. I have met many chaplains over the years, and they were all committed to ensuring that our school communities thrive. They are hardworking, tolerant, respectful and supportive. They are not in schools to try to convert students to a particular religion; they are there and they are motivated to ensure that people who need support are given it.
It is important to note that just about every single step in the process is voluntary. The schools volunteer to take on a chaplain. The chaplains themselves have volunteered to take up that role. The school students also voluntarily get in touch with their school chaplain. So everything at every step is by people’s own free will.
Importantly there are some interesting statistics about who actually does go to a school chaplain. Contrary to what some people might think, it appears that other staff
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