❓ Question regarding the Carpenter government's initiatives to address misbehaviour and discipline in state schools, and the Minister's response highlighting government programs and criticising the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 81Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS — MISBEHAVIOUR AND DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS
(1) Can the minister inform the house of the Carpenter government’s latest initiatives to deal with misbehaviour and discipline problems in state schools? (2) Is he aware of any other views? Mr M. McGOWAN
(1) Can the minister inform the house of the Carpenter government’s latest initiatives to deal with misbehaviour and discipline problems in state schools? (2) Is he aware of any other views? Mr M. McGOWAN
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. It is true that this government is determined to take a tough stance on discipline issues in schools, particularly against those students who assault teachers or engage in other antisocial behaviour. During the time that we have been in office, we have put in place a behaviour management and discipline program throughout Western Australia at a cost of an additional $16.5 million each year. That program has achieved great results for schools throughout Western Australia. We have also put in place three behaviour centres—in Fremantle, Cannington and Kalgoorlie—which we are currently trialling to see how well they work. I am pleased to inform members that on the weekend I announced further changes to our discipline procedures to ensure that those students who are excluded from schools do not end up at another public school down the street the next day, because it is currently possible that those students are placed in another public school immediately. We want to put in place alternative options for those students so that they do not go straight back into schools. In addition, we want to streamline the process so that it is not such an incredibly time-consuming effort for a school that wants to exclude a student for violent or disruptive behaviour. I would have thought that that would be widely accepted as a good idea. However, I was shocked and astonished on Sunday night to hear on the news what Hon Peter Collier had to say about our proposal to streamline our discipline procedures and make it easier for schools to exclude students. Members should listen carefully to this — Look, alienation of students very rapidly leads to ostracisation of those students. They do feel alienated from their peers, they feel alienated from the community. And, if anything, it does accentuate the problem, so we’ve got to be mindful of that. Do members opposite actually know what he said? Does he talk like that when he is in the party room? Does he come up with sentences like that in the party room? As far as I can tell, that means that the Liberal Party is opposed to what we announced on the weekend. We are in favour of taking a tough stance on discipline issues in schools; the Liberal Party is opposed to that. At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse — Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, standing order 78 states that an answer must be relevant to the question. If the Minister for Education and Training wants to engage in a debate about the personal conduct of members of Parliament, we should suspend standing orders and have that debate, because I have a few things to say. The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
(2) Is he aware of any other views? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. It is true that this government is determined to take a tough stance on discipline issues in schools, particularly against those students who assault teachers or engage in other antisocial behaviour. During the time that we have been in office, we have put in place a behaviour management and discipline program throughout Western Australia at a cost of an additional $16.5 million each year. That program has achieved great results for schools throughout Western Australia. We have also put in place three behaviour centres—in Fremantle, Cannington and Kalgoorlie—which we are currently trialling to see how well they work. I am pleased to inform members that on the weekend I announced further changes to our discipline procedures to ensure that those students who are excluded from schools do not end up at another public school down the street the next day, because it is currently possible that those students are placed in another public school immediately. We want to put in place alternative options for those students so that they do not go straight back into schools. In addition, we want to streamline the process so that it is not such an incredibly time-consuming effort for a school that wants to exclude a student for violent or disruptive behaviour. I would have thought that that would be widely accepted as a good idea. However, I was shocked and astonished on Sunday night to hear on the news what Hon Peter Collier had to say about our proposal to streamline our discipline procedures and make it easier for schools to exclude students. Members should listen carefully to this — Look, alienation of students very rapidly leads to ostracisation of those students. They do feel alienated from their peers, they feel alienated from the community. And, if anything, it does accentuate the problem, so we’ve got to be mindful of that. Do members opposite actually know what he said? Does he talk like that when he is in the party room? Does he come up with sentences like that in the party room? As far as I can tell, that means that the Liberal Party is opposed to what we announced on the weekend. We are in favour of taking a tough stance on discipline issues in schools; the Liberal Party is opposed to that. At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse — Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, standing order 78 states that an answer must be relevant to the question. If the Minister for Education and Training wants to engage in a debate about the personal conduct of members of Parliament, we should suspend standing orders and have that debate, because I have a few things to say. The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. It is true that this government is determined to take a tough stance on discipline issues in schools, particularly against those students who assault teachers or engage in other antisocial behaviour. During the time that we have been in office, we have put in place a behaviour management and discipline program throughout Western Australia at a cost of an additional $16.5 million each year. That program has achieved great results for schools throughout Western Australia. We have also put in place three behaviour centres—in Fremantle, Cannington and Kalgoorlie—which we are currently trialling to see how well they work. I am pleased to inform members that on the weekend I announced further changes to our discipline procedures to ensure that those students who are excluded from schools do not end up at another public school down the street the next day, because it is currently possible that those students are placed in another public school immediately. We want to put in place alternative options for those students so that they do not go straight back into schools. In addition, we want to streamline the process so that it is not such an incredibly time-consuming effort for a school that wants to exclude a student for violent or disruptive behaviour. I would have thought that that would be widely accepted as a good idea. However, I was shocked and astonished on Sunday night to hear on the news what Hon Peter Collier had to say about our proposal to streamline our discipline procedures and make it easier for schools to exclude students. Members should listen carefully to this — Look, alienation of students very rapidly leads to ostracisation of those students. They do feel alienated from their peers, they feel alienated from the community. And, if anything, it does accentuate the problem, so we’ve got to be mindful of that. Do members opposite actually know what he said? Does he talk like that when he is in the party room? Does he come up with sentences like that in the party room? As far as I can tell, that means that the Liberal Party is opposed to what we announced on the weekend. We are in favour of taking a tough stance on discipline issues in schools; the Liberal Party is opposed to that. At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse — Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, standing order 78 states that an answer must be relevant to the question. If the Minister for Education and Training wants to engage in a debate about the personal conduct of members of Parliament, we should suspend standing orders and have that debate, because I have a few things to say. The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. It is true that this government is determined to take a tough stance on discipline issues in schools, particularly against those students who assault teachers or engage in other antisocial behaviour. During the time that we have been in office, we have put in place a behaviour management and discipline program throughout Western Australia at a cost of an additional $16.5 million each year. That program has achieved great results for schools throughout Western Australia. We have also put in place three behaviour centres—in Fremantle, Cannington and Kalgoorlie—which we are currently trialling to see how well they work. I am pleased to inform members that on the weekend I announced further changes to our discipline procedures to ensure that those students who are excluded from schools do not end up at another public school down the street the next day, because it is currently possible that those students are placed in another public school immediately. We want to put in place alternative options for those students so that they do not go straight back into schools. In addition, we want to streamline the process so that it is not such an incredibly time-consuming effort for a school that wants to exclude a student for violent or disruptive behaviour. I would have thought that that would be widely accepted as a good idea. However, I was shocked and astonished on Sunday night to hear on the news what Hon Peter Collier had to say about our proposal to streamline our discipline procedures and make it easier for schools to exclude students. Members should listen carefully to this — Look, alienation of students very rapidly leads to ostracisation of those students. They do feel alienated from their peers, they feel alienated from the community. And, if anything, it does accentuate the problem, so we’ve got to be mindful of that. Do members opposite actually know what he said? Does he talk like that when he is in the party room? Does he come up with sentences like that in the party room? As far as I can tell, that means that the Liberal Party is opposed to what we announced on the weekend. We are in favour of taking a tough stance on discipline issues in schools; the Liberal Party is opposed to that. At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse — Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, standing order 78 states that an answer must be relevant to the question. If the Minister for Education and Training wants to engage in a debate about the personal conduct of members of Parliament, we should suspend standing orders and have that debate, because I have a few things to say. The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse —
The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
(2) Is he aware of any other views? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. It is true that this government is determined to take a tough stance on discipline issues in schools, particularly against those students who assault teachers or engage in other antisocial behaviour. During the time that we have been in office, we have put in place a behaviour management and discipline program throughout Western Australia at a cost of an additional $16.5 million each year. That program has achieved great results for schools throughout Western Australia. We have also put in place three behaviour centres—in Fremantle, Cannington and Kalgoorlie—which we are currently trialling to see how well they work. I am pleased to inform members that on the weekend I announced further changes to our discipline procedures to ensure that those students who are excluded from schools do not end up at another public school down the street the next day, because it is currently possible that those students are placed in another public school immediately. We want to put in place alternative options for those students so that they do not go straight back into schools. In addition, we want to streamline the process so that it is not such an incredibly time-consuming effort for a school that wants to exclude a student for violent or disruptive behaviour. I would have thought that that would be widely accepted as a good idea. However, I was shocked and astonished on Sunday night to hear on the news what Hon Peter Collier had to say about our proposal to streamline our discipline procedures and make it easier for schools to exclude students. Members should listen carefully to this — Look, alienation of students very rapidly leads to ostracisation of those students. They do feel alienated from their peers, they feel alienated from the community. And, if anything, it does accentuate the problem, so we’ve got to be mindful of that. Do members opposite actually know what he said? Does he talk like that when he is in the party room? Does he come up with sentences like that in the party room? As far as I can tell, that means that the Liberal Party is opposed to what we announced on the weekend. We are in favour of taking a tough stance on discipline issues in schools; the Liberal Party is opposed to that. At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse — Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, standing order 78 states that an answer must be relevant to the question. If the Minister for Education and Training wants to engage in a debate about the personal conduct of members of Parliament, we should suspend standing orders and have that debate, because I have a few things to say. The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. It is true that this government is determined to take a tough stance on discipline issues in schools, particularly against those students who assault teachers or engage in other antisocial behaviour. During the time that we have been in office, we have put in place a behaviour management and discipline program throughout Western Australia at a cost of an additional $16.5 million each year. That program has achieved great results for schools throughout Western Australia. We have also put in place three behaviour centres—in Fremantle, Cannington and Kalgoorlie—which we are currently trialling to see how well they work. I am pleased to inform members that on the weekend I announced further changes to our discipline procedures to ensure that those students who are excluded from schools do not end up at another public school down the street the next day, because it is currently possible that those students are placed in another public school immediately. We want to put in place alternative options for those students so that they do not go straight back into schools. In addition, we want to streamline the process so that it is not such an incredibly time-consuming effort for a school that wants to exclude a student for violent or disruptive behaviour. I would have thought that that would be widely accepted as a good idea. However, I was shocked and astonished on Sunday night to hear on the news what Hon Peter Collier had to say about our proposal to streamline our discipline procedures and make it easier for schools to exclude students. Members should listen carefully to this — Look, alienation of students very rapidly leads to ostracisation of those students. They do feel alienated from their peers, they feel alienated from the community. And, if anything, it does accentuate the problem, so we’ve got to be mindful of that. Do members opposite actually know what he said? Does he talk like that when he is in the party room? Does he come up with sentences like that in the party room? As far as I can tell, that means that the Liberal Party is opposed to what we announced on the weekend. We are in favour of taking a tough stance on discipline issues in schools; the Liberal Party is opposed to that. At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse — Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, standing order 78 states that an answer must be relevant to the question. If the Minister for Education and Training wants to engage in a debate about the personal conduct of members of Parliament, we should suspend standing orders and have that debate, because I have a few things to say. The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. It is true that this government is determined to take a tough stance on discipline issues in schools, particularly against those students who assault teachers or engage in other antisocial behaviour. During the time that we have been in office, we have put in place a behaviour management and discipline program throughout Western Australia at a cost of an additional $16.5 million each year. That program has achieved great results for schools throughout Western Australia. We have also put in place three behaviour centres—in Fremantle, Cannington and Kalgoorlie—which we are currently trialling to see how well they work. I am pleased to inform members that on the weekend I announced further changes to our discipline procedures to ensure that those students who are excluded from schools do not end up at another public school down the street the next day, because it is currently possible that those students are placed in another public school immediately. We want to put in place alternative options for those students so that they do not go straight back into schools. In addition, we want to streamline the process so that it is not such an incredibly time-consuming effort for a school that wants to exclude a student for violent or disruptive behaviour. I would have thought that that would be widely accepted as a good idea. However, I was shocked and astonished on Sunday night to hear on the news what Hon Peter Collier had to say about our proposal to streamline our discipline procedures and make it easier for schools to exclude students. Members should listen carefully to this — Look, alienation of students very rapidly leads to ostracisation of those students. They do feel alienated from their peers, they feel alienated from the community. And, if anything, it does accentuate the problem, so we’ve got to be mindful of that. Do members opposite actually know what he said? Does he talk like that when he is in the party room? Does he come up with sentences like that in the party room? As far as I can tell, that means that the Liberal Party is opposed to what we announced on the weekend. We are in favour of taking a tough stance on discipline issues in schools; the Liberal Party is opposed to that. At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse — Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, standing order 78 states that an answer must be relevant to the question. If the Minister for Education and Training wants to engage in a debate about the personal conduct of members of Parliament, we should suspend standing orders and have that debate, because I have a few things to say. The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
At a broader level, I am disappointed at the response from the Opposition. It needs to be brought to the attention of all members that the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition sets a very bad example for students throughout our schools in Western Australia. We need go no further than the Leader of the Opposition’s undermining of Bernie Masters, the former member for Vasse —
The SPEAKER : Order! Whether or not members wish to say other things if another debate occurs is not part of this point of order. The answer must be relevant. I find it difficult to understand how what a former member of this place has to say about another member is relevant to a question about school discipline. I see that the minister is endeavouring, albeit with a bit of a long bow, to say that the behaviour of members in this place somehow reflects upon bullying. I think that is a bit too far in the extreme of long-bow competitions. The minister. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
The SPEAKER : Order! Apparently some members in this place did not understand what I just said, because various forms of what I have said have instantly been put out there. Members should not continue along those lines about what a former member has said about the Leader of the Opposition, or another member, and bullying in schools. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I accept your advice. I will not refer to anything a former member has said. What I do say is that when the Leader of the Opposition undermines his colleagues and his leaders, as he did in the case of the member for Kalgoorlie, and as he did in the case of the member for Warren-Blackwood—when he promised not to do that—he sets an appalling example for students around Western Australia. It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
It is true that the Leader of the Opposition has committed acts of bastardry against members of this place — Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : Point of order, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
The SPEAKER : That particular comment by the minister is unparliamentary and I direct that he withdraw it. Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : It is also true that he is now guilty of acts of “bra-stardry” in this place. If any student in a school around Western Australia behaved in the same manner as the Leader of the Opposition, that student would be excluded from school, but the Liberal Party promotes him.
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