Mr GUNNER - 2015-04-28
Nothing is more important to the future of the Territory than educating our children. Today’s budget fails our schools and our kids. Given that our education outcomes still lag behind the rest of the country, how can you possibly justify slashing preschool education funding by $8m in this budget?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I am proud to tell this parliament that this is a record education budget for a Country Liberals government. An amount of $1.012bn is being invested in education in 2015-16. By contrast, the last Northern Territory Labor education budget, in 2011-12 – an election year – was $898m.
I stand proud with Adam Giles as our Chief Minister and Dave Tollner as our Treasurer, as we have put together one of the best budgets we have ever seen. When we came to government there was a bloated education system ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The minister is dodging the question. Why did you cut preschool education funding by $8m in this budget.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, the minister has three minutes to develop an argument and answer the question.
Mr CHANDLER: Today the Department of Education is a very efficient machine compared to the bloated system we inherited from the former Labor government. There are many reasons why money has been moved around in the department, but nothing has been taken out of education. If anything, more money has gone in because we have shifted it to necessary infrastructure like special needs schools – the new Henbury School and the new special needs school in Palmerston – the Open Education Centre and new preschool and childcare facilities in Alice Springs, as well as much needed money for repairs and maintenance, and other services.
A total of 749 students have left the public education system because of the rhetoric …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. He does not want to touch it, but $8m has been cut from preschool education. Answer the question.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, if you could come to the point, please.
Mr CHANDLER: I am getting to the point; 749 students have moved out of the public education system, either interstate or into the private sector, because of the ongoing rhetoric from the Labor side of the Chamber, as well as from their union mates who demonise education in the Northern Territory when we are getting better results than we ever had under that mob over there. These are better results in a more efficient system, which leaves us more money to put in to infrastructure.
Look at the number of students who are not in the system anymore and the record amount of money we are spending. I am proud to stand here as the Education minister overseeing better results and a better system than we had under the former Labor government.
Mr Wood: What about the answer to the preschool question?
Mr CHANDLER: I have given that answer.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Direct your comments through the Chair, honourable members, please.
Mr CHANDLER: We have 749 fewer students than we had this time last year because of the rhetoric of the Labor opposition and their union.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I am proud to tell this parliament that this is a record education budget for a Country Liberals government. An amount of $1.012bn is being invested in education in 2015-16. By contrast, the last Northern Territory Labor education budget, in 2011-12 – an election year – was $898m.
I stand proud with Adam Giles as our Chief Minister and Dave Tollner as our Treasurer, as we have put together one of the best budgets we have ever seen. When we came to government there was a bloated education system ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The minister is dodging the question. Why did you cut preschool education funding by $8m in this budget.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, the minister has three minutes to develop an argument and answer the question.
Mr CHANDLER: Today the Department of Education is a very efficient machine compared to the bloated system we inherited from the former Labor government. There are many reasons why money has been moved around in the department, but nothing has been taken out of education. If anything, more money has gone in because we have shifted it to necessary infrastructure like special needs schools – the new Henbury School and the new special needs school in Palmerston – the Open Education Centre and new preschool and childcare facilities in Alice Springs, as well as much needed money for repairs and maintenance, and other services.
A total of 749 students have left the public education system because of the rhetoric …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. He does not want to touch it, but $8m has been cut from preschool education. Answer the question.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, if you could come to the point, please.
Mr CHANDLER: I am getting to the point; 749 students have moved out of the public education system, either interstate or into the private sector, because of the ongoing rhetoric from the Labor side of the Chamber, as well as from their union mates who demonise education in the Northern Territory when we are getting better results than we ever had under that mob over there. These are better results in a more efficient system, which leaves us more money to put in to infrastructure.
Look at the number of students who are not in the system anymore and the record amount of money we are spending. I am proud to stand here as the Education minister overseeing better results and a better system than we had under the former Labor government.
Mr Wood: What about the answer to the preschool question?
Mr CHANDLER: I have given that answer.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Direct your comments through the Chair, honourable members, please.
Mr CHANDLER: We have 749 fewer students than we had this time last year because of the rhetoric of the Labor opposition and their union.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016