House debates Questions without Notice
Education
Stephen Smith Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education and Training
2:28 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to Labor’s plan for an education revolution including a plan to encourage young Australians to both study and teach maths and science—core drivers of our economy into the future. Why, after years and years of talk, has the government not acted to address the fact that 25 per cent of science teachers do not have a science qualification and 25 per cent of maths teachers do not have a major in maths?
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues
I thank the member for Perth for his question. The Australian government believes that we should focus on where the problem lies in this area. Labor came up with a very hastily put together plan that entirely misses the point in relation to the teaching of maths and science in this country. We must engage young people at a primary or secondary school level. If they are not engaged and studying maths and science by years 10, 11 and 12, they are not going on to study it at university. That is self-evident and it is entirely missing from Labor’s policy.
What the Australian government is focusing on is supporting teachers and schools, scientific organisations and universities to work with the schools through a range of programs that the Australian government has instituted to inspire young people to study science and mathematics when they are at school—that is where the problem lies—rather than coming up with a bandaid approach at the higher education level that has been proven not to work.
One thing I can say about the Leader of the Opposition: he has not had an original policy thought on anything, let alone education. He talks about his education revolution. Naughty boy! You stole that idea, didn’t you?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The level of interjections is far too high. The minister will be heard.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues
You will have to go to the naughty corner, won’t you?
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury
Ms King interjecting
Annette Ellis Canberra, Australian Labor Party
Ms Annette Ellis interjecting
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The member for Ballarat is warned, and so is the member for Canberra!
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This is a serious question—standing order 104.
David Hawker Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues
One thing we have learned is: the Leader of the Opposition has no original thought when it comes to policy development. He talks about his brave new frontier and education revolution, but guess what? Somebody is back in vogue: What did you learn today? Creating an education revolution by one Mark Latham. So the new policy adviser on education is Mark Latham?