Mr HATTON - 1995-08-23
Mr HATTON (Education and Training): Mr Speaker, yesterday, I responded to the member for MacDonnell on this question with some additional information, following which he made a personal explanation in relation to Imanpa School. During the last 24 hours, I have taken the time to check further the member for MacDonnell's allegation, and I can advise the following information that I have received from the department.
After examining the roll book, the conclusion one would draw is that the enrolment of 41 quoted by the member for MacDonnell is derived from an incorrect count by Mr Bell of all names on the roll at the time. The roll book actually had 45 names on it. However, those 45 names included the names of students who were no longer resident at Imanpa. There were actually 26 students enrolled and 18 in attendance on 9 August, which is when the member for MacDonnell was supposedly there. Currently, there is one assistant teacher employed at Imanpa. At the request of the community, negotiations are under way for the employment of a second assistant teacher, under the CDEP scheme.
Mr Speaker, I table a photocopy of the roll book from the Imanpa School, which was faxed to my office.
Mr Ede: Did you say that there is only one assistant teacher?
Mr HATTON: There is a teacher and an assistant teacher, and now they are looking for a second assistant teacher.
In further information provided, the member for MacDonnell quoted the ALP's policy of one teacher for each 15 Aboriginal students in classes for English as a second language. I asked for some estimated costs of that particular policy, and my advice is as follows. The
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number of additional teachers and assistant teachers required would be 132 teachers in predominantly Aboriginal schools, 90 assistant teachers in predominantly Aboriginal schools, and 63 teachers in urban schools. That would be a total of 285 additional teachers, representing an annual labour cost of $8.5m. This represents an increased per capita cost of $919 for each Aboriginal student studying English as a second language in the Northern Territory. If the member for MacDonnell intends to promote that as ALP policy, laudable as it may sound, I ask him where he proposes to find the $8.5m.
Mr Ede: You have never told us where you intended to find the money for your election promises. We showed you where ours were to come from.
Mr HATTON: But we delivered.
The additional cost is $8.5m. That equates to $919 per student, which is higher than the total cost per capita for urban students elsewhere in Australia.
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After examining the roll book, the conclusion one would draw is that the enrolment of 41 quoted by the member for MacDonnell is derived from an incorrect count by Mr Bell of all names on the roll at the time. The roll book actually had 45 names on it. However, those 45 names included the names of students who were no longer resident at Imanpa. There were actually 26 students enrolled and 18 in attendance on 9 August, which is when the member for MacDonnell was supposedly there. Currently, there is one assistant teacher employed at Imanpa. At the request of the community, negotiations are under way for the employment of a second assistant teacher, under the CDEP scheme.
Mr Speaker, I table a photocopy of the roll book from the Imanpa School, which was faxed to my office.
Mr Ede: Did you say that there is only one assistant teacher?
Mr HATTON: There is a teacher and an assistant teacher, and now they are looking for a second assistant teacher.
In further information provided, the member for MacDonnell quoted the ALP's policy of one teacher for each 15 Aboriginal students in classes for English as a second language. I asked for some estimated costs of that particular policy, and my advice is as follows. The
Page 778
number of additional teachers and assistant teachers required would be 132 teachers in predominantly Aboriginal schools, 90 assistant teachers in predominantly Aboriginal schools, and 63 teachers in urban schools. That would be a total of 285 additional teachers, representing an annual labour cost of $8.5m. This represents an increased per capita cost of $919 for each Aboriginal student studying English as a second language in the Northern Territory. If the member for MacDonnell intends to promote that as ALP policy, laudable as it may sound, I ask him where he proposes to find the $8.5m.
Mr Ede: You have never told us where you intended to find the money for your election promises. We showed you where ours were to come from.
Mr HATTON: But we delivered.
The additional cost is $8.5m. That equates to $919 per student, which is higher than the total cost per capita for urban students elsewhere in Australia.
Page 779
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016