Mrs BRAHAM - 1995-02-21
Mr Speaker, the school year for 1995 is under way, but I am concerned that some initiatives under the Aboriginal Education Program have not yet commenced. Has funding of
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AEP been delayed resulting in this unnecessary disruption to the education of Aboriginal children?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Commonwealth-funded AEP program represents about $14m of the $100m that we spend in the Northern Territory on Aboriginal education. Whilst that is a small percentage, it is not an insignificant sum. In his bid for re-entry to the opposition front bench, the member for Arafura mouthed a great deal of nothing about a month ago in relation to Aboriginal education. I visited Sanderson High School the other day as it is one of 100 or so schools on my list to visit during the year. As I always do, I took an interest, among other things, in how the Aboriginal programs are going. I met the 2 ladies who are working on the Aboriginal program. They have an excellent rapport with the students and are getting on with the job.
As I was leaving the school, the management of the school mentioned to me that it was paying the salaries of those 2 ladies from the school's own funds. I thought that was a little peculiar and I wondered whether there might have been an administrative hiccup. Members may recall that, a few years ago, we found that we needed to consult again with FEPPI, the government's Aboriginal advisory group, about the proposed program and there were some delays at that time. Since then, things have run fairly smoothly. In fact, when I returned to my office, I ascertained that this year's program had been agreed on, not only by FEPPI but also by the Department of Education and myself, and it had gone to the federal minister. In fact, he wrote back to me on 13 January stating unequivocally that he agreed with the program and that he appreciated the work of the people here.
I asked myself what could have gone wrong. The AEP program has about 24 items, covering a broad range of programs. For example, it pays the salaries of the Aboriginal liaison officers. I am sure the member for Arafura would agree that the programs for principals in schools are excellent. A new initiative this year came from the Aboriginal Educators Association through FEPPI processes. It gained endorsement. It relates to the provision of support for Aboriginal educators and Aboriginal officers in the department through a type of mentor scheme. That was item No 24 this year and it was agreed to by the federal minister, Ross Free, on 13 January.
Mr Speaker, I table that letter which contains no hint of any problems.
What could possibly have gone wrong in the intervening period that could have led to the cessation of not only item 24, the new mentor program, but all money for all programs? The liaison officer program was very successful. All of the other 20-odd programs were working very well and have worked well for years. What went wrong? We are talking about the federal Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET). Some would say, perhaps a little unkindly, that it is the most politicised department of any government at any time in Australia's history. The greatest politiciser of that department is Hon Warren Snowdon, the parliamentary secretary to the minister. We have seen his grandstanding, the beating on the chest, and how he intervenes in every little announcement that DEET has to make. The only time when nothing is heard from him is when DEET does not meet its share of responsibility. At those times, he is not to be found.
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What went wrong on this occasion? The answer is very simple and I am sure that honourable members opposite, with their very genuine interest in Aboriginal education, will want to take up this issue themselves with Warren Snowdon. Notwithstanding the minister's approval, as per the letter of 13 January, Warren Snowdon personally intervened in relation to the department's implementing and forwarding the funds for the AEP for 1995. What a shameful, despicable act of intervention by a politician in a department that has been subjected already to sufficient intervention by a desperate federal Labor government! From a member who represents numerous Aboriginal constituents, who ought to be doing his very best for them at all levels, that is not the only example of intervention. We will hear about others later, but this example takes the cake. Warren Snowdon intervened in the departmental processing of funds for services to Territory Aboriginal children. It is shameful!
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Page 414
AEP been delayed resulting in this unnecessary disruption to the education of Aboriginal children?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Commonwealth-funded AEP program represents about $14m of the $100m that we spend in the Northern Territory on Aboriginal education. Whilst that is a small percentage, it is not an insignificant sum. In his bid for re-entry to the opposition front bench, the member for Arafura mouthed a great deal of nothing about a month ago in relation to Aboriginal education. I visited Sanderson High School the other day as it is one of 100 or so schools on my list to visit during the year. As I always do, I took an interest, among other things, in how the Aboriginal programs are going. I met the 2 ladies who are working on the Aboriginal program. They have an excellent rapport with the students and are getting on with the job.
As I was leaving the school, the management of the school mentioned to me that it was paying the salaries of those 2 ladies from the school's own funds. I thought that was a little peculiar and I wondered whether there might have been an administrative hiccup. Members may recall that, a few years ago, we found that we needed to consult again with FEPPI, the government's Aboriginal advisory group, about the proposed program and there were some delays at that time. Since then, things have run fairly smoothly. In fact, when I returned to my office, I ascertained that this year's program had been agreed on, not only by FEPPI but also by the Department of Education and myself, and it had gone to the federal minister. In fact, he wrote back to me on 13 January stating unequivocally that he agreed with the program and that he appreciated the work of the people here.
I asked myself what could have gone wrong. The AEP program has about 24 items, covering a broad range of programs. For example, it pays the salaries of the Aboriginal liaison officers. I am sure the member for Arafura would agree that the programs for principals in schools are excellent. A new initiative this year came from the Aboriginal Educators Association through FEPPI processes. It gained endorsement. It relates to the provision of support for Aboriginal educators and Aboriginal officers in the department through a type of mentor scheme. That was item No 24 this year and it was agreed to by the federal minister, Ross Free, on 13 January.
Mr Speaker, I table that letter which contains no hint of any problems.
What could possibly have gone wrong in the intervening period that could have led to the cessation of not only item 24, the new mentor program, but all money for all programs? The liaison officer program was very successful. All of the other 20-odd programs were working very well and have worked well for years. What went wrong? We are talking about the federal Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET). Some would say, perhaps a little unkindly, that it is the most politicised department of any government at any time in Australia's history. The greatest politiciser of that department is Hon Warren Snowdon, the parliamentary secretary to the minister. We have seen his grandstanding, the beating on the chest, and how he intervenes in every little announcement that DEET has to make. The only time when nothing is heard from him is when DEET does not meet its share of responsibility. At those times, he is not to be found.
Page 415
What went wrong on this occasion? The answer is very simple and I am sure that honourable members opposite, with their very genuine interest in Aboriginal education, will want to take up this issue themselves with Warren Snowdon. Notwithstanding the minister's approval, as per the letter of 13 January, Warren Snowdon personally intervened in relation to the department's implementing and forwarding the funds for the AEP for 1995. What a shameful, despicable act of intervention by a politician in a department that has been subjected already to sufficient intervention by a desperate federal Labor government! From a member who represents numerous Aboriginal constituents, who ought to be doing his very best for them at all levels, that is not the only example of intervention. We will hear about others later, but this example takes the cake. Warren Snowdon intervened in the departmental processing of funds for services to Territory Aboriginal children. It is shameful!
Page 416
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016