Mr HAMPTON - 2007-02-22
Yesterday, in Question Time, the member for Braitling made some extraordinary allegations about the teaching practices at Bradshaw School. Can you please tell us more about this situation at Bradshaw, and whether the labelling of the school by the member for Braitling was fair?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for a very responsible question as a result of the very irresponsible and offensive question …
Mrs Braham: Very true question.
Mr HENDERSON: … asked by the member for Braitling yesterday. She may well want to continue with the line, ‘this is very true’, in a chase for cheap political points, however, I want to talk today about what we are doing as a government and what Bradshaw Primary School, a great school, is doing in Alice Springs to give every child there a decent education.
I was disappointed yesterday. I have made phone calls today and have been speaking to many people about the allegations made by the member for Braitling. I am very disappointed that the member chose to launch her attack without asking for a briefing about the situation at Bradshaw Primary School, without visiting the school, without speaking to staff at the school about what is happening there. To come in here and chase a very cheap political point, without seeking to inform herself from the school itself about what is happening there, is very disappointing.
As I said yesterday, the students caught up in the member’s question – and we are talking about little kids here – come from some of the most challenging home environments in this country. Previously, these children rarely went to school; their learning outcomes were very poor and no child had met literacy benchmarks. That is what we are talking about in terms of their previous education environment. As I said yesterday, these children deserve the right to a quality education, the same as any other kid in Alice Springs.
Once a suitable facility was identified, DEET staff carried out lengthy discussions with families of the students. A transition plan was put in place for those students, and it was agreed to by the staff and the parents for the start of school this year. This was a transition plan …
Mrs Braham: They have been at Bradshaw since April last year.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, cease interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: … and it is working. That is the good news that is coming out of all of this. Attendance is higher, learning outcomes are improving.
Last week, 33 students enrolled at the school. There were 27 there on some days and 24 on others. That is a lot more than would have been turning up at the Irrkerlantye Learning Centre. It is a significant improvement on what was happening at the learning centre that the member for Braitling and others members on the other side of the House campaigned to keep open. They campaigned to keep open a facility where there was poor attendance and no learning outcomes.
Many students who came to Bradshaw could not recognise the alphabet. Now, they can read 30 out of 100 most common words, and they are writing sentences. I saw them do it. Only last week, a parent meeting was held and it was well attended. The parents are being engaged. As I said yesterday, I went to that school just a few weeks ago and I witnessed what was happening in the classrooms. It is clear that the progress at the school is down to the principal, the teachers, the parents and the kids. It goes to show what can be achieved when we work together.
I will not repeat the allegations that were made yesterday because they are offensive. Half the enrolled students at Bradshaw Primary School are indigenous, and the comments that were made yesterday insulted everyone. I contacted the principal of the school this morning, so disturbed was I by the media reports that were running last night on the radio. The paper reported accurately, albeit on the front page. I rang the principal of the school as soon as I arrived at work this morning. I bet the member for Braitling has not phoned the principal.
Mrs Braham: And they are going to change their policy.
Mr HENDERSON: I bet the member for Braitling has not, Madam Speaker …
Mrs Braham: I have spoken to Irrkerlantye.
Ms Carney: They are deeply offended by what you said. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: … because the amount of disbelief and hurt that is occurring at that school is absolutely palpable. A number of parents have contacted my office …
Ms Carney: And mine.
Mr HENDERSON: Yes, and the Leader of the Opposition’s office. They are absolutely outraged about the allegations made about the school. That has deeply hurt teachers in the school.
I want to put on the record, again, that I, this government and, I believe, all bar the member for Braitling, deeply support the efforts of the principal and the teachers at Bradshaw Primary School. You have our total support. Madam Speaker, it is fantastic that those kids are now learning to read and write. That is the good news. They should not have been used for cheap political points.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Stuart for a very responsible question as a result of the very irresponsible and offensive question …
Mrs Braham: Very true question.
Mr HENDERSON: … asked by the member for Braitling yesterday. She may well want to continue with the line, ‘this is very true’, in a chase for cheap political points, however, I want to talk today about what we are doing as a government and what Bradshaw Primary School, a great school, is doing in Alice Springs to give every child there a decent education.
I was disappointed yesterday. I have made phone calls today and have been speaking to many people about the allegations made by the member for Braitling. I am very disappointed that the member chose to launch her attack without asking for a briefing about the situation at Bradshaw Primary School, without visiting the school, without speaking to staff at the school about what is happening there. To come in here and chase a very cheap political point, without seeking to inform herself from the school itself about what is happening there, is very disappointing.
As I said yesterday, the students caught up in the member’s question – and we are talking about little kids here – come from some of the most challenging home environments in this country. Previously, these children rarely went to school; their learning outcomes were very poor and no child had met literacy benchmarks. That is what we are talking about in terms of their previous education environment. As I said yesterday, these children deserve the right to a quality education, the same as any other kid in Alice Springs.
Once a suitable facility was identified, DEET staff carried out lengthy discussions with families of the students. A transition plan was put in place for those students, and it was agreed to by the staff and the parents for the start of school this year. This was a transition plan …
Mrs Braham: They have been at Bradshaw since April last year.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, cease interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: … and it is working. That is the good news that is coming out of all of this. Attendance is higher, learning outcomes are improving.
Last week, 33 students enrolled at the school. There were 27 there on some days and 24 on others. That is a lot more than would have been turning up at the Irrkerlantye Learning Centre. It is a significant improvement on what was happening at the learning centre that the member for Braitling and others members on the other side of the House campaigned to keep open. They campaigned to keep open a facility where there was poor attendance and no learning outcomes.
Many students who came to Bradshaw could not recognise the alphabet. Now, they can read 30 out of 100 most common words, and they are writing sentences. I saw them do it. Only last week, a parent meeting was held and it was well attended. The parents are being engaged. As I said yesterday, I went to that school just a few weeks ago and I witnessed what was happening in the classrooms. It is clear that the progress at the school is down to the principal, the teachers, the parents and the kids. It goes to show what can be achieved when we work together.
I will not repeat the allegations that were made yesterday because they are offensive. Half the enrolled students at Bradshaw Primary School are indigenous, and the comments that were made yesterday insulted everyone. I contacted the principal of the school this morning, so disturbed was I by the media reports that were running last night on the radio. The paper reported accurately, albeit on the front page. I rang the principal of the school as soon as I arrived at work this morning. I bet the member for Braitling has not phoned the principal.
Mrs Braham: And they are going to change their policy.
Mr HENDERSON: I bet the member for Braitling has not, Madam Speaker …
Mrs Braham: I have spoken to Irrkerlantye.
Ms Carney: They are deeply offended by what you said. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: … because the amount of disbelief and hurt that is occurring at that school is absolutely palpable. A number of parents have contacted my office …
Ms Carney: And mine.
Mr HENDERSON: Yes, and the Leader of the Opposition’s office. They are absolutely outraged about the allegations made about the school. That has deeply hurt teachers in the school.
I want to put on the record, again, that I, this government and, I believe, all bar the member for Braitling, deeply support the efforts of the principal and the teachers at Bradshaw Primary School. You have our total support. Madam Speaker, it is fantastic that those kids are now learning to read and write. That is the good news. They should not have been used for cheap political points.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016