Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge all of the people in my community who have written to, emailed or met with me personally to talk about the National School Chaplaincy Program. I know that this program has flourished in Queensland because of the original structure which came from the Scripture Union. Many schools in my electorate do not have federal funding but have a chaplain in their schools as a consequence of the Scripture Union. Since the federal funding was introduced, many of my schools have taken up this initiative. Four out of my five secondary state schools have chaplains in their schools. Seven out of my 15 state primary schools have school chaplains. Many of my private schools, in fact 17 of my 33 schools, actually have chaplains. Those that do not have chaplains as a consequence of the National Schools Chaplaincy Program have chaplains as a consequence of the Scripture Union. Obviously, from what I am saying, I support chaplains in the schools.

In addition to all of the comments that have been forwarded to me and the comments that have been made to me personally, I have seen the difference that the chaplains make at these schools. I have seen schools such as Clontarf Beach State High School take the initiative of having two chaplains. Their original chaplain was employed through the Scripture Union, but they then sought funding to put on an additional chaplain because they saw a particular need to have a male role model for their male students at the high school. They were successful in having an additional chaplain put on and that male chaplain has been doing amazing work with the young male students. It is important that we support our young people in these schools.

I accept that this program has not always been successful. To a large degree it has not always been taken up in some other states and areas. I also accept that there is always room for improvement and that parents and schools are looking for flexibility in relation to a program like this. It is important that the federal government look at the program and look at what is best for our students, as well as support parents and staff and the schools overall. I stand with my parents, my principals and my students in saying that I support the National Schools Chaplaincy Program, and I support seeing this program continue beyond 2010.