Ms MANISON - 2015-12-02
Under your government we have seen savage cuts to education. Schools have fewer teachers in the classroom and around $1000 less per student in government schools to educate students. The results of the NAPLAN tests show that since 2013, your first full year of government, Indigenous students’ results have reduced in eight out of 12 categories tested in reading, writing and numeracy. When will you accept that your cuts are damaging Territory students, especially in the bush?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what absolute rubbish! I would not believe anything coming from this mob. They have come in here time and again with statistics that you find - when you do a little research – are all made up.
The results in the bush have clearly shown improvement since 2008. We are coming ahead in leaps and bounds. I am not denying that we are coming off a pretty low base. Where did we come from after nearly 12 years of a Labor government?
As I said last night, we had the courage to lift the rock and look at what was under it when it came to Indigenous education. It scared the hell out of me because successive governments failed students in the bush.
We took that on and looked seriously at a review. This government has taken on the recommendations of A share in the future, and we are already seeing results. I have seen Labor-orientated teachers - and I have to admit there are a few - who are coming around to things like Direct Instruction.
Why are we introducing policies and programs like that? It is because they make a difference. When teachers come to you from the bush saying this is the best thing they have ever seen in Indigenous education …
Ms Fyles: Rubbish!
Mr CHANDLER: You are simply focusing on dollars again. You are jealous because we are getting better results. You spend money like it is confetti. We target the way we spend money. We will continue to spend money and focus on improving results. Under a Country Liberal government we are seeing advances across the Northern Territory. I am proud of the Education department. What I am sick and tired of is a Labor Party that constantly trashes our education system in the NT.
We should be proud of what our teachers are doing. We should be proud of the results we are getting and where we are going. They are all going in the right direction. Sadly, they will not want to hear this, but the results we are getting today are better than those we got under the former Labor government.
I would say I rest my case, but I cannot because these guys still think the way they did it was best. Like many things we found when we came to government, it is another mess we are trying to clean up. With education it will take a few years, but look at the results we have achieved in the early years. That is our focus. There is a new generation coming through and this is a game changer.
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: I am proud of the work we are doing and of our education system. Stop trashing it.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can you remind honourable members of Standing Order 20?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Port Darwin, please be seated.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what absolute rubbish! I would not believe anything coming from this mob. They have come in here time and again with statistics that you find - when you do a little research – are all made up.
The results in the bush have clearly shown improvement since 2008. We are coming ahead in leaps and bounds. I am not denying that we are coming off a pretty low base. Where did we come from after nearly 12 years of a Labor government?
As I said last night, we had the courage to lift the rock and look at what was under it when it came to Indigenous education. It scared the hell out of me because successive governments failed students in the bush.
We took that on and looked seriously at a review. This government has taken on the recommendations of A share in the future, and we are already seeing results. I have seen Labor-orientated teachers - and I have to admit there are a few - who are coming around to things like Direct Instruction.
Why are we introducing policies and programs like that? It is because they make a difference. When teachers come to you from the bush saying this is the best thing they have ever seen in Indigenous education …
Ms Fyles: Rubbish!
Mr CHANDLER: You are simply focusing on dollars again. You are jealous because we are getting better results. You spend money like it is confetti. We target the way we spend money. We will continue to spend money and focus on improving results. Under a Country Liberal government we are seeing advances across the Northern Territory. I am proud of the Education department. What I am sick and tired of is a Labor Party that constantly trashes our education system in the NT.
We should be proud of what our teachers are doing. We should be proud of the results we are getting and where we are going. They are all going in the right direction. Sadly, they will not want to hear this, but the results we are getting today are better than those we got under the former Labor government.
I would say I rest my case, but I cannot because these guys still think the way they did it was best. Like many things we found when we came to government, it is another mess we are trying to clean up. With education it will take a few years, but look at the results we have achieved in the early years. That is our focus. There is a new generation coming through and this is a game changer.
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: I am proud of the work we are doing and of our education system. Stop trashing it.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can you remind honourable members of Standing Order 20?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Port Darwin, please be seated.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016