Dr TOYNE - 2000-10-17
Mr Speaker, at a principals’ briefing in Tennant Creek last month, it was announced that the department’s budget is still in the red and that 70 to 100 school-based positions must be removed from the southern region. Could the minister outline to the House which schools are to lose staff and how many?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the question really is ‘What is the Northern Territory government doing for education’ and I can tell you, and if you have not read the budget papers, pick them up and read them and you would find that bottom line funding has gone up by $20m.
Dr TOYNE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The minister has already rephrased the question. I have asked a very specific question about the loss of jobs in schools.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The minister will have an opportunity to answer the question.
Mr LUGG: Thank you, Mr Speaker, after that tawdry interruption.
The bottom line budget for the Education Department is up by the order of $20m. We are introducing extra funding for an IT program in schools. We are introducing a more rigorous fiscal management program as evidenced by the recent …
Ms Martin: Slashing 100 jobs.
Mr LUGG: Isn’t this pathetic?
We have 2500 teachers in the department out of a staff of roughly 3000. What we have done over the last two years or so – and initiated by my colleague, the member for Casuarina – is we are actually putting more teachers into the schools. We are cutting our overheads to deliver a better service. That is what it is all about. This is a better service for Territorians.
In addition, we are working with the principals and with all the staff to make sure that we manage our affairs better. This is simply prudent management and it is about equity. We have introduced principal members into our executive area to work with them, and I might say the comments I get back from the Principals’ Association is they are pleased to be able to work with us and work to maintain our budget in reasonable areas to deliver equity in this area.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the question really is ‘What is the Northern Territory government doing for education’ and I can tell you, and if you have not read the budget papers, pick them up and read them and you would find that bottom line funding has gone up by $20m.
Dr TOYNE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The minister has already rephrased the question. I have asked a very specific question about the loss of jobs in schools.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The minister will have an opportunity to answer the question.
Mr LUGG: Thank you, Mr Speaker, after that tawdry interruption.
The bottom line budget for the Education Department is up by the order of $20m. We are introducing extra funding for an IT program in schools. We are introducing a more rigorous fiscal management program as evidenced by the recent …
Ms Martin: Slashing 100 jobs.
Mr LUGG: Isn’t this pathetic?
We have 2500 teachers in the department out of a staff of roughly 3000. What we have done over the last two years or so – and initiated by my colleague, the member for Casuarina – is we are actually putting more teachers into the schools. We are cutting our overheads to deliver a better service. That is what it is all about. This is a better service for Territorians.
In addition, we are working with the principals and with all the staff to make sure that we manage our affairs better. This is simply prudent management and it is about equity. We have introduced principal members into our executive area to work with them, and I might say the comments I get back from the Principals’ Association is they are pleased to be able to work with us and work to maintain our budget in reasonable areas to deliver equity in this area.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016