Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to speak about an issue which I am sure I share with you, Mr Speaker, with every member of this place who is a parent and with all of the parents listening to this broadcast. The issue is probably one of the most difficult decisions that parents have to make, and that is the choice of education for their children. I count myself extremely fortunate in the sort of education I had—in my primary, secondary and tertiary education—which my parents made sacrifices for. I know that the parliamentary secretary on duty tonight, the member for Bennelong, and I went to the same school in Brisbane and received an excellent education from the Sisters of Mercy.

Prior to the last election, parents around Australia were promised an education revolution. I guess if we think of the term ‘revolution’ we think of a change of power, a change in the structural organisation, and when we hear the term ‘revolution’ we think this is change that will happen quickly. Well, there has been no storming of the Bastille, as far as the delivery of the educational changes that were promised goes. I think it is fair to say that, prior to the last election, the only real detail that we had about the education revolution was that every senior student, from year 9 upwards, was promised a computer. I have been on a bit of a hunt across my electorate of McEwen trying to find whether we have any of these computers in any of the hundreds of schools that I have in my electorate. I have identified a couple of schools which have been informed that they will get some computers, but the trek to find the computers has revealed a sparse trail.

Since the election we have been told about a little bit more flesh being put on the bones of this education revolution concerning trade training centres. We have found out that there is less than $1 million for these schools. Although these schools were promised the earth, in fact, once again, nothing has been delivered. It would appear that schools will be lucky to get an upgrade of an oven or some extensions or renovations to the woodwork centre—nothing like what is really needed to equip young people with the sorts of skills that they need to work and the sort of environment in which they would want to develop trade skills and certification.

The latest thing we have heard about, as another tranche of the education revolution, is school funding based on teacher performance. Once again, as a parent I do not disagree at all with that. But this is where I strike a problem, because I am very concerned about the sorts of schools I have across my electorate. Mr Speaker, you would know a number of these schools. Tonight, I will give a couple of examples. I highlight the Healesville High School and the Alexandra high school, in particular. You probably would find this difficult to believe, Mr Speaker, but in the Alexandra high school there are exposed heating pipes inside classrooms. If this were a factory site, the unions would close it down on OH&S grounds, yet we expect the teachers there to perform at their best and motivate young students. Surely, if we are talking about making payments to highly qualified teachers, we are not talking about an even playing field here. The schools in our rural areas are at an enormous disadvantage. How will this matter be addressed? I want the very best for my daughters and, in turn, what my parents wanted for me. Parents want the very best for their children, and the education revolution is not delivering. (Time expired)