Ms WALKER - 2010-04-27
Can you please give the House an indication of how the budget will reflect the importance that this government places on education and training?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. Education is a top priority of this government, and it is my pleasure today to announce …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Well, they might not be interested, but there are some people listening who are interested in a record budget for education.
The announcement was made today, $886m for education, up from $808m in last year’s budget. We are a government focused on getting more teachers into the system. Since we came to government in 2001, approximately 400 extra teachers are in our education system. This is very important. Today we were at Rosebery School. There is more infrastructure there and an announcement for 60 extra teachers. The total work amounts to some $59m for the Middle School and the Primary School, with a total of approximately 1500 pupils. I am sure the people of Palmerston will welcome that school when it opens next year. The two principals are already in place, and enrolments are being taken and will be continued to be taken this year.
During the last election campaign, we announced $246m over four years for infrastructure for schools; $300 000 for schools. I know the schools in my electorate welcome that $300 000 and we are on target to disburse that money.
We are a government focused on education. It is not just the infrastructure spend that we are doing in conjunction with the Commonwealth, and also out of our own budget. We have a plan for education. We are all about lifting the quality of education for our kids, lifting the quality of our teachers, supporting the recruitment and retention of teachers of excellence within this Northern Territory. We have a very extensive plan …
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Well, we have. That is why we commissioned the Ladwig Sarra review. If the members opposite knew a bit about that, they would understand that. They have put out a couple of pages, a policy of education. Not once, not once, does it mention Indigenous education in the communities. Also, in many instances, they have just ripped it straight out of some of our policies.
It is not worth the paper it is written on. I suggest that they write it on this, Madam Speaker, that is how flimsy it is.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. Education is a top priority of this government, and it is my pleasure today to announce …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Well, they might not be interested, but there are some people listening who are interested in a record budget for education.
The announcement was made today, $886m for education, up from $808m in last year’s budget. We are a government focused on getting more teachers into the system. Since we came to government in 2001, approximately 400 extra teachers are in our education system. This is very important. Today we were at Rosebery School. There is more infrastructure there and an announcement for 60 extra teachers. The total work amounts to some $59m for the Middle School and the Primary School, with a total of approximately 1500 pupils. I am sure the people of Palmerston will welcome that school when it opens next year. The two principals are already in place, and enrolments are being taken and will be continued to be taken this year.
During the last election campaign, we announced $246m over four years for infrastructure for schools; $300 000 for schools. I know the schools in my electorate welcome that $300 000 and we are on target to disburse that money.
We are a government focused on education. It is not just the infrastructure spend that we are doing in conjunction with the Commonwealth, and also out of our own budget. We have a plan for education. We are all about lifting the quality of education for our kids, lifting the quality of our teachers, supporting the recruitment and retention of teachers of excellence within this Northern Territory. We have a very extensive plan …
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Well, we have. That is why we commissioned the Ladwig Sarra review. If the members opposite knew a bit about that, they would understand that. They have put out a couple of pages, a policy of education. Not once, not once, does it mention Indigenous education in the communities. Also, in many instances, they have just ripped it straight out of some of our policies.
It is not worth the paper it is written on. I suggest that they write it on this, Madam Speaker, that is how flimsy it is.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016