Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I want to pay tribute to a new program which has been announced, a national chaplaincies program. I wish to make three points. One is about the program, the second is about its purpose and the third is about its origins.

Let me give a brief outline of the program which has been announced. It is a $90 million program over three years. The essential component is an offer of up to $20,000 per school for all schools in Australia to appoint a chaplain—no matter where they are, no matter whether they are government or non-government and no matter what their denomination is or even if they have no denomination. I understand that schools will not be able to appoint a chaplain without raising their own funds; it will cost more. But we are giving them a base; we are giving them an opportunity. It is a fundamentally important thing. It is done on a completely non-discriminatory basis and it is done with an eye to what I think are critical purposes. These purposes start with a simple notion: pastoral care. The program is not about some deep suspicious purpose but about pastoral care.

I have been fortunate to meet with students from Rosebud Secondary College and Dromana Secondary College who have overwhelmingly endorsed and supported the work of chaplains within their own schools. The very proposal itself comes from the students, the parents and the staff of these schools—from the desire to do something on a broader basis.

This notion of chaplaincy and pastoral care in our schools adds to existing resources in school—whether it is for a tragedy, a family break-up or simply to talk about the fundamental questions of exploring meaning, purpose and role for each individual. This notion in no way replaces existing resources of current counsellors; it is about an additional opportunity and giving students that choice.

For the very fact that this program has been created, I want to turn to a number of colleagues and a number of people within my electorate. The member for Greenway, the member for Bowman and the member for Wakefield all joined together, and I was proud to work with them, in helping to create this program. We took our lead from people within our own constituencies who sought such a program. In my own electorate, people such as David Price, Peter Rawlings, Dale Stephenson and so many others who have been engaged in chaplaincy programs have played a critical role. I am delighted to commend the program. I thank all of those involved. Finally, I thank both the Prime Minister and Julie Bishop for their contribution.