Mr GUNNER - 2012-10-30
Part of the CLP’s education policy is to create a brand new education sector - the community sector - which involves handing over schools to communities to be run independently of the education department. However, your Indigenous Advancement minister said in her Address-in-Reply that schools in the bush should be a small version of schools in Darwin or Sydney. This is a contradiction of your policy, minister. Could you please explain what the CLP’s policy is?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. He has taken on his role as shadow minister for education with great enthusiasm.
Our government has a commitment to funding non-government schools and community schools. We are looking at a range of ways to stimulate and assist communities to develop education systems and mechanisms which reflect their communities and needs. Prior to the election, the Chief Minister consulted extensively with people throughout the Northern Territory on this model of education. We have demonstrated our commitment as recently as the last couple of weeks by negotiating and talking to the various stakeholders about how we can expand this important area of education. We are not fixated on government schools; we are very interested in alternative models which reflect the peculiar and unique needs of cultural groups and communities throughout the Northern Territory.
In answer to the question asked, there is no contradiction; we are all on the same page. The speech given by the member for Namatjira about her perceptions and views on education were within an Address-in-Reply speech which is, effectively, a maiden speech. She is entitled to her own views, and they were not inconsistent with the policies and views of the Country Liberals’ education policy.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. He has taken on his role as shadow minister for education with great enthusiasm.
Our government has a commitment to funding non-government schools and community schools. We are looking at a range of ways to stimulate and assist communities to develop education systems and mechanisms which reflect their communities and needs. Prior to the election, the Chief Minister consulted extensively with people throughout the Northern Territory on this model of education. We have demonstrated our commitment as recently as the last couple of weeks by negotiating and talking to the various stakeholders about how we can expand this important area of education. We are not fixated on government schools; we are very interested in alternative models which reflect the peculiar and unique needs of cultural groups and communities throughout the Northern Territory.
In answer to the question asked, there is no contradiction; we are all on the same page. The speech given by the member for Namatjira about her perceptions and views on education were within an Address-in-Reply speech which is, effectively, a maiden speech. She is entitled to her own views, and they were not inconsistent with the policies and views of the Country Liberals’ education policy.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016