Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Boyce and thank you for your support during my visit to Queensland. This is a top priority for this government to get Aboriginal and Islander children to school. We have set ourselves a target of 90 per cent, for the reason that that is no different to anyone in the mainstream—attendance is at about 90 per cent, give or take some sick days and those sorts of things.

As of last week, to achieve this—on the philosophy that we should be employing Aboriginal and Islander people from those communities—we got over 300 school attendance officers, who met all of those checks and balances, and we have another hundred or so to employ. The only hold-up with that has been in getting some of them Working with Children certificates. The duties of these officers are not just to get bums on seats; they are to assist in getting kids to school, they are to assist with breakfast programs and they are to assist in the classroom, especially with kids who are not used to the classroom situation. Most importantly, these officers ensure that there is a liaison with the parents so that we can maximise the benefits of having kids in school.

We will be providing additional funding of $180 per child to assist with uniforms, transport and any other impediments to getting kids to school. I have visited kids in schools in Galiwinku, Gunbalanya, Yuendumu, Tennant Creek, Ali Curung, Carnarvon, Roebourne, Meekatharra and Palm Island to hear about the wide range of challenges facing those schools. The thing that remains absolutely constant is the decision to employ Aboriginal people from the community who can sit down and respect the community's views about the schools. That is what underpins this process. In Meekatharra it was not hard to understand how difficult it would be to go to work at 8.30 in the morning when it is 38 degrees. (Time expired)