❓ Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions Premier Colin Barnett about potential broken promises regarding public sector redundancies in the Department of Education, specifically concerning education assistants and teachers. The Premier defends the changes, citing over-employment of teacher assistants and improved teacher placement.
AnsweredQoN 506Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION — PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT
(REDEPLOYMENT AND REDUNDANCY) REGULATIONS 2014
506. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
I refer to the revelations
in estimates in the other place today that 562 education staff will receive
letters in the next few days advising them that they are registrable under the
new public sector management regulations, including 338 education assistants
and 131 teachers. Has not the Premier now broken his promise from 2013, and I
quote, ''The changes in the Workforce Reform bill relate to involuntary
redundancy for public servants who cannot be effectively employed,'' and
''It's a small number of people, perhaps 100 maybe ultimately up
to 200''?.
(REDEPLOYMENT AND REDUNDANCY) REGULATIONS 2014
506. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
I refer to the revelations
in estimates in the other place today that 562 education staff will receive
letters in the next few days advising them that they are registrable under the
new public sector management regulations, including 338 education assistants
and 131 teachers. Has not the Premier now broken his promise from 2013, and I
quote, ''The changes in the Workforce Reform bill relate to involuntary
redundancy for public servants who cannot be effectively employed,'' and
''It's a small number of people, perhaps 100 maybe ultimately up
to 200''?.
AnswerView source ↗
The changes made to the Public Sector Management Act are
appropriate and, indeed, the government made it very clear that we were
reducing the number of teacher assistants. We have way beyond the normal rate
of employment of teachers assistants compared with other states.
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : In many of our schools in which a teacher assistant was
employed for a child with a disability —
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : — when the child progressed into secondary education
or left the area or the school, the teacher assistant was maintained in
employment at that particular site. I do not apologise for that.
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Maylands,
I call you to order for the first time. You interjected three times. Put your
name down and ask a question.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected .
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bassendean, you are wearing me out.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : At many schools, a large number of schools, a large number of
people—teacher assistants—were employed at a particular school
site when a child had moved on and, indeed, many schools had surplus numbers of
teacher assistants. That was put in place and made very public at the time.
I remind members that at the start
of this school year and previous school years under this government, every
class had a teacher in front of it, and this year about 500 graduate teachers
were employed in our public school system. It is run far better than when the
Leader of the Opposition was the minister, when he did not have teachers in
front of classes.
appropriate and, indeed, the government made it very clear that we were
reducing the number of teacher assistants. We have way beyond the normal rate
of employment of teachers assistants compared with other states.
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : In many of our schools in which a teacher assistant was
employed for a child with a disability —
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : — when the child progressed into secondary education
or left the area or the school, the teacher assistant was maintained in
employment at that particular site. I do not apologise for that.
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Maylands,
I call you to order for the first time. You interjected three times. Put your
name down and ask a question.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected .
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bassendean, you are wearing me out.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : At many schools, a large number of schools, a large number of
people—teacher assistants—were employed at a particular school
site when a child had moved on and, indeed, many schools had surplus numbers of
teacher assistants. That was put in place and made very public at the time.
I remind members that at the start
of this school year and previous school years under this government, every
class had a teacher in front of it, and this year about 500 graduate teachers
were employed in our public school system. It is run far better than when the
Leader of the Opposition was the minister, when he did not have teachers in
front of classes.
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