Ms MANISON - 2016-04-21
Yesterday I asked you a very direct question about ruling out further cuts to public education in your government’s upcoming budget. You refused to rule out further cuts. I am giving you another opportunity to do so today with a very direct question. Will you rule out further cuts to public education in the upcoming NT budget? Yes or no?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is an interesting question; I recall being in opposition for four years, asking the same question of the Henderson government in the lead-up to every budget. Of course, what we heard from the previous Labor government was pretty much what you will hear from me now, which is that I will not pre-empt what the Treasurer will release on budget day.
I am excited about the forthcoming budget and what we will do in education. What frustrates me more than anything about the constant attack on Territory education from the Labor opposition and the unions is that they always focus on dollars. They never focus on results, reform in the system, what you can do with education, or the fact that today our education results are far better than they were under the Labor government.
I can quote facts all day long about the number of children passing their NTCET today compared to when the Labor government was in power. More Indigenous students are passing their NTCET than ever did under a Labor government. I can continue to quote facts and figures about how the education system is in a far better place today than it was only three-and-a-half years ago.
I admit there has been a fair bit of bark lost by me in introducing these reforms, but you focus on dollars only and not results.
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110; answers will be concise and directly relevant to the question asked. It was a very direct question. Will you rule out further cuts to public education in the upcoming NT budget, yes or no?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Wanguri. Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: I have already said you will get the same answer that we got for four years under the former Labor government. Every year we would ask the same question and what we got is what you will get from me. I will not pre-empt what the Treasurer will release in the budget next month. You only have a short time to wait.
We have a tremendous record in regard to education. You guys have a self-righteous thought that you own education. That is not true. If you look at the results in education today …
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: … not when you were a minister, member for Karama …
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: They do not want to hear good news, and that is sad. They are the only ones trashing education in the NT. Look at the number of parents moving their children into the public education space today; they have confidence in this government. The numbers speak for themselves.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of the South Australian Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee members: Hon Tung Ngo, Dr Duncan McFetridge, Hon Terry Stephens, Mr Jon Gee and Hon Jason Caire. Welcome to Parliament House. I hope you find it very enlightening. Take some tips back to South Australia.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Minister for Housing is not in the Chamber, so which minister will take her questions?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister will take questions for the Minister for Housing.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is an interesting question; I recall being in opposition for four years, asking the same question of the Henderson government in the lead-up to every budget. Of course, what we heard from the previous Labor government was pretty much what you will hear from me now, which is that I will not pre-empt what the Treasurer will release on budget day.
I am excited about the forthcoming budget and what we will do in education. What frustrates me more than anything about the constant attack on Territory education from the Labor opposition and the unions is that they always focus on dollars. They never focus on results, reform in the system, what you can do with education, or the fact that today our education results are far better than they were under the Labor government.
I can quote facts all day long about the number of children passing their NTCET today compared to when the Labor government was in power. More Indigenous students are passing their NTCET than ever did under a Labor government. I can continue to quote facts and figures about how the education system is in a far better place today than it was only three-and-a-half years ago.
I admit there has been a fair bit of bark lost by me in introducing these reforms, but you focus on dollars only and not results.
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110; answers will be concise and directly relevant to the question asked. It was a very direct question. Will you rule out further cuts to public education in the upcoming NT budget, yes or no?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Wanguri. Minister, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: I have already said you will get the same answer that we got for four years under the former Labor government. Every year we would ask the same question and what we got is what you will get from me. I will not pre-empt what the Treasurer will release in the budget next month. You only have a short time to wait.
We have a tremendous record in regard to education. You guys have a self-righteous thought that you own education. That is not true. If you look at the results in education today …
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: … not when you were a minister, member for Karama …
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: They do not want to hear good news, and that is sad. They are the only ones trashing education in the NT. Look at the number of parents moving their children into the public education space today; they have confidence in this government. The numbers speak for themselves.
___________________________
Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of the South Australian Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee members: Hon Tung Ngo, Dr Duncan McFetridge, Hon Terry Stephens, Mr Jon Gee and Hon Jason Caire. Welcome to Parliament House. I hope you find it very enlightening. Take some tips back to South Australia.
Members: Hear, hear!
___________________________
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Minister for Housing is not in the Chamber, so which minister will take her questions?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister will take questions for the Minister for Housing.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016