Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government

Ms FYLES - 2013-11-27

The cuts to education are deep and broad. You are cutting teacher positions and crucial support staff positions that include librarians, home liaison officers, classroom support positions, administration support, bush principles and a host of others. You pretend these cuts will improve learning outcomes, despite experts and educators disagreeing with you. You have pretended to Territorians that only 35 teachers are losing their jobs, yet we know it will be in excess of 120 and a further 150 support staff. When will you stop lying to Territorians and release the figures?
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Move Proposed Motion of Censure

Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of Standing Orders be suspended as to allow the opposition to censure the Chief Minister, the Treasurer and the Minister for Education for the disastrous cuts they are making to our education system. We condemn the Chief Minister, the Treasurer and the Minister for Education for:

failing Territorians in the most basic duty they have to deliver a sound education to Territorians through providing appropriate resources
    constantly lying about the sheer extent of the teacher and support staff cuts
      failing students with special needs by slashing grants and support staff
        failing Indigenous students by slashing ESL positions and Indigenous language

        Visitors in the public in the gallery interjecting.

        Madam SPEAKER: Once, that is it. The galleries will be cleared, no more clapping, no interjections. They will be cleared and I mean it. Member for Nightcliff, please continue.

        Ms FYLES: Thank you Madam Speaker.

        scrapping GEMS at Dripstone Middle School, Sanderson Middle School, Nightcliff Middle School and Casuarina Senior College

        failing our best and brightest students by reducing one-on-one teacher and student time and cutting classroom support staff

        arbitrarily removing a school of music from Nightcliff Middle School and relocating to Sanderson Middle School without an explanation of costs or benefits
          causing upheaval at the Northern Territory Open Education Centre with an interim move before permanent facilities are planned or budgeted for
            reducing our children’s options for the future by cutting their subject choices in middle and senior school.

            Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, the government welcomes and accepts this censure motion. Could we also have the motion circulated in accordance with standing orders?

            I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
            Last updated: 09 Aug 2016