❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Education regarding Professor Barry Spurr's alleged offensive emails and his role in the national curriculum review. The Minister expresses a lack of awareness and states they will investigate, expressing potential disappointment.
AnsweredQoN 1137Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PROFESSOR
BARRY SPURR
1137. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
(1) Is the minister aware that Professor
Barry Spurr, appointed by federal Minister for Education Pyne to review the
school English curriculum, has today acknowledged he used his official
University of Sydney email address to send emails over the last two years using
extremely offensive language to mock Indigenous Australians, Muslim
Australians, Asian Australians and women?
(2) Does the minister share my horror and
concern that such an inappropriate person was part of the curriculum review
process?
BARRY SPURR
1137. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
(1) Is the minister aware that Professor
Barry Spurr, appointed by federal Minister for Education Pyne to review the
school English curriculum, has today acknowledged he used his official
University of Sydney email address to send emails over the last two years using
extremely offensive language to mock Indigenous Australians, Muslim
Australians, Asian Australians and women?
(2) Does the minister share my horror and
concern that such an inappropriate person was part of the curriculum review
process?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the honourable member
for the question. I am not aware of that. I will have to look into it. If he
did make those offensive comments, the honourable member would be legitimately
disappointed, as I would be. In saying that, the national curriculum review was
a positive step forward and has identified some issues in the overall national
curriculum that I have been advocating personally for the last two years. I
like to think that we can overcome those issues. On the issue at hand of
offensive comments or emails, if they do exist, I would be disappointed.
for the question. I am not aware of that. I will have to look into it. If he
did make those offensive comments, the honourable member would be legitimately
disappointed, as I would be. In saying that, the national curriculum review was
a positive step forward and has identified some issues in the overall national
curriculum that I have been advocating personally for the last two years. I
like to think that we can overcome those issues. On the issue at hand of
offensive comments or emails, if they do exist, I would be disappointed.
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