Claire Clutterham (Sturt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of this motion, which is deeply personal for me on a number of levels. It's also personal for every Australian because it speaks to this government's deliberate policy agenda that is directed at strengthening Australia's education system—making it fairer, more affordable, more accessible and more attractive as a career option. We need more teachers, and this government, led by the PM and the Minister for Education, want to see this happen.

Firstly, I went to many different public schools around South Australia. Frankly, I found it disappointing that, prior to 2022 when we came to government, no public school outside the ACT was fully funded. But this has changed with a 180-degree turn. Through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, we're delivering an additional $16.5 billion in Commonwealth funding to public schools over the next decade.

The member for Grey claimed this was just a funding announcement, which is wholly incorrect. This funding arrangement is linked to outcomes, to improving literacy and numeracy standards, to increased mental health support for students and to school attendance. We've seen that school attendance is increasing. In 2025, it was 88.8 per cent.

Secondly, almost 10 years ago, I completed a master of teaching in secondary education as one of those pesky mature aged students who sits up the front and asks too many questions. I did a number of pracs as part of this degree. I was fortunate that, when I did these pracs I was employed as a lawyer, so I had access to annual leave from my job, which I took at half pay to cover my living expenses whilst I was out on placement. I also had a very supportive employer—a shout-out to ASC. But not everyone is in that position. Placements are full time, and they run for weeks. Until now, students on placement just had to fend for themselves, and, when you stop work to do your placement, the bills don't stop. If you do a rural placement, which many students do, not only do the bills keep rolling in but you probably have to fund extra costs for your time away, not least of all accommodation. The feedback from students was that they could afford their degree but they couldn't afford a placement.

So, for the first time ever, the Australian government is delivering paid prac for nursing, teaching, midwifery and social work students while they do their mandatory placements. So far, this $338.60-per-week payment has helped just under 60,000 students.

Finally, on bullying in schools, in my first speech in the House of Representatives I shared my experience of being bullied in primary school. Although, after years and years and years, I was able to move forward from it, the scars and damage to confidence and self-esteem have never quite left me completely. We know that now, with the internet and social media, bullying is getting worse, not better. Kids are suffering all day at school and then after school and on weekends, often very publicly. That suffering is sometimes catastrophic and irreparable, which I describe as a tragedy. But, for some affected kids and their families, that word is an understatement.

So I commend the Minister for Education and his commissioning of the Anti-Bullying Rapid Review, and I also personally thank him for briefing me on the review's progress and recommendations. The review attracted over 1,700 submissions from teachers and from students and their families, and education ministers around the country quite rightly adopted the review's recommendations in October 2025, with a key recommendation being that schools commence action within two school days of becoming aware of a bullying complaint or incident. In addition, we have made a $10 million investment to help fast-track the implementation of the review's findings. This will be dedicated to developing resources to help prevent and address bullying and funding a national awareness campaign. The more awareness and attention we can bring to this issue and the more we call it out for what it is, which is completely unacceptable, the better placed we will be to ensure that kids can go to school and that parents can send their children to school confident that bullying will be identified and addressed. There is no place for bullying in schools, and I'm proud to stand with the education minister as he seeks to address the causes and ensure that bullying is managed appropriately across the education spectrum.

See this speech in context