Page 1345 - Week 04 - Thursday, 4 April 2019
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I encourage members to read the forum communique, which is on the directorate website. But organisational and cultural change is tough. It takes time and it takes mature support from leaders like those in this place.
Madam Speaker, I have been equally concerned about bullying and violence experienced by students, which is really another side of the occupational violence issue. The ACT government have been continually making improvements in this area. We have not sat by idly. For example, as members know, a long program of work has been underway in the ACT, as part of the schools for all program, to, among other things, build on how ACT schools are minimising and engaging with violence and other antisocial behaviours.
It is important to acknowledge you, Madam Speaker, as the then minister, for taking that issue on, and Mr Rattenbury, as the subsequent minister, who carried on with some of this work. In my time as education minister I have continued the program, paying close attention to how each recommendation has been finalised and seeking explicit, written assurance from the independent oversight group that the recommendations had been satisfactorily implemented.
I, as minister, am very concerned about the welfare of all students in ACT schools and feel a deep sense of compassion and concern whenever I hear of an incident of bullying or violence at school. My concern for these people has been consistent. It is not a result of media reporting or the opposition. The government’s values and principles for school education, values and principles that I share, have always been clear. They are set out in the future of education strategy and include equity, student agency, access and inclusion. The future of education strategy provides an important strategic policy that aids continued focus on elements of providing inclusive, safe and supportive schools.
As members know, yesterday I responded on behalf of the government to petitions about violence in schools. The response is very detailed, running to eight pages, but is still not a comprehensive description of all the work that has been done or is underway. I encourage members to read the response, and I particularly draw Ms Lee’s attention to the information about the academic evidence base and international adoption of the positive behaviours for learning approach.
Madam Speaker, it is very easy to for those opposite to throw around flippant remarks about how not enough is being done, but that is simply not true. As members will read, the government and I, as minister, have been acting on this issue. Whenever I have received representations from parents or teachers about issues of bullying or violence in schools, I have taken these issues very seriously, sought advice and tried to understand the situation to make sure that it was being addressed appropriately.
Those opposite would like to lead the community to believe that there is a stream of unresolved complaints that have come through my office. That simply is not true. Of a school system of around 49,000 students, with around 100,000 parents or carers, my office has been able to identify fewer than 50 representations on the issue over more than two years since 2016. That is not to say that every one of these 50 representations have been carefully considered.
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