Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne, representing the Minister for Education. Could the minister please explain to the Senate why the government's $70 million Independent Public Schools initiative is so important, particularly in Western Australia?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I particularly thank Senator McKenzie for her continuing interest in these issues of education reform, which the minister is pursuing so assiduously. What the coalition government has done is to accept the overwhelming evidence—both Australian and international—that has shown that increased school autonomy is a very important contributor to improving student education performance outcomes. So there has been a strong move across most jurisdictions in Australia to increase principal and school autonomy in the public school sector.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Western Australia—I respond to those opposite who are not keeping up—has been a leader in this important initiative. Premier Barnett launched the Independent Public Schools initiative in August 2009, and presently has 264 Western Australian schools participating in this program—which is exceptional.

There was an independent evaluation of the Western Australia initiative by the Melbourne Graduate School of Education in May last year, which highlighted that it had overwhelming support from principals and was having a very positive impact on both teachers and the communities of the schools. That is why, as a coalition government, we have now launched the new $70 million Independent Public Schools initiative to support this important innovation across all Australian jurisdictions. Our IPS will support 25 per cent of public schools, or 1,500 schools across Australia, to become more independent, by increasing local governance and engagement with parents and their communities. If the Western Australian government chooses to participate further in this initiative the fund will assist them to further support at least another 169 schools in their state in becoming an IPS. Participating schools will be given the chance to enjoy the benefits of increased control over decision making while remaining a part of their government school system. It gives those schools an excellent opportunity to explore the same initiatives taken by the other schools in Western Australia and more around Australia. (Time expired)

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Could the minister further explain to the Senate how the Independent Public Schools initiative will improve educational performance?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McKenzie for that. Her question refers further to the University of Melbourne evaluation which was done of the Western Australian program which found that, overwhelmingly, principals supported increased autonomy in their schools across a broad range of aspects, including both budgets and staffing, and believed that it would lead to increased outcomes for the whole school community. My colleague Senator McKenzie and my colleague the federal Minister for Education visited two Western Australian regional schools this month and saw firsthand the progress being made in implementing Independent Public Schools in Western Australia. The minister visited both the Ocean Road Primary School and the Mount Lockyer Primary School. He met with schools leaders, teachers, staff, parents and students to listen to their views about the IPS and to discuss how the federal government can make a further contribution. (Time expired)

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, thank you for those answers. Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Could the minister advise the Senate what the government has already done to progress this great initiative and to support parental engagement in schools in Western Australia?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In pursuing the IPS, the government has already started working with Premier Barnett and Minister Collier to encourage at least 169 of their existing public schools—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Payne, resume your seat. Senator Payne, continue.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I know that good news is painful for those opposite—

Senator Lines interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lines! I remind you that interjections are disorderly. Constant interjection is totally disorderly.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There have been further consultations between the Commonwealth Department of Education and the Western Australian Department of Education to progress it as soon as possible. Of the $70 million IPS Fund, we will provide grants to assist those schools, and if you choose to participate, as the Western Australian government has done, in this initiative of the fund it will bring the state at least $7.9 million to support schools in the state. We anticipate that the first payments can be made to participating states and territories by 30 June this year. There is also an online guide for parents on school boards and school councils which gives parents— (Time expired)