❓ Mr Staltari asks the Minister for Education to commit to reviewing maximum class sizes and staff ratios. The Minister declines to commit, stating these matters are handled through enterprise bargaining, and instead uses the opportunity to compare current government performance with the previous Liberal-National government's record on student-to-teacher ratios.
AnsweredQoN 337Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Schools—Class sizes
337. Mr Liam Staltari to
the Minister for Education:
I have a
supplementary question.
Again, will the
minister commit to review maximum class sizes and staff ratios in this crisis?
337. Mr Liam Staltari to
the Minister for Education:
I have a
supplementary question.
Again, will the
minister commit to review maximum class sizes and staff ratios in this crisis?
AnswerView source ↗
I will commit to
explaining to the member how the process actually works, when we talk about
conditions for teachers. Those kinds of matters are dealt with under enterprise
bargaining agreement negotiations later in the year. I think the shadow
education minister is suggesting that if he were education minister, he would
come out and make some commitments to teachers outside of the EBA process.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: That is not how the process works.
While I have the opportunity, I want to ensure that the member might go back to
the Report on Government Services to look
at some other important markers of how this government supports teachers in our
schools. He might also want to go back to the ROGS data from the previous Liberal government. He might be interested to know that
in 2014 the student to teacher ratio—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: They do not want to hear it!
The Speaker: Minister, please just pause. Members!
Members of the opposition, when you are ready the minister can conclude her
comments and we can move on. This is taking a lot longer than it needs to take.
Ms Sabine Winton: I know they do not want to hear it
but, because they are not looking for it, I will give it to them. Under the
previous Liberal–National government, in 2014 the student-to-teacher ratio
across all public schools was 14.9, which was higher than the 2025 figure the
member is complaining about now. Additionally, I make a further point. This
comparison is even more stark.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: I think it is important to make a
comparison because, in the end, the public will make a decision between us and an
alternative government. I know what an alternative Liberal–National government
will do to education.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Sabine Winton: The non-teaching school staff ratio
was 25.1 in 2014, whereas our extensive investment in ed assistants, school
psychs and other supports for schools has brought it down to 19.6 under WA
Labor.
The Speaker: Thank you, minister. That concludes
question time.
explaining to the member how the process actually works, when we talk about
conditions for teachers. Those kinds of matters are dealt with under enterprise
bargaining agreement negotiations later in the year. I think the shadow
education minister is suggesting that if he were education minister, he would
come out and make some commitments to teachers outside of the EBA process.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: That is not how the process works.
While I have the opportunity, I want to ensure that the member might go back to
the Report on Government Services to look
at some other important markers of how this government supports teachers in our
schools. He might also want to go back to the ROGS data from the previous Liberal government. He might be interested to know that
in 2014 the student to teacher ratio—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: They do not want to hear it!
The Speaker: Minister, please just pause. Members!
Members of the opposition, when you are ready the minister can conclude her
comments and we can move on. This is taking a lot longer than it needs to take.
Ms Sabine Winton: I know they do not want to hear it
but, because they are not looking for it, I will give it to them. Under the
previous Liberal–National government, in 2014 the student-to-teacher ratio
across all public schools was 14.9, which was higher than the 2025 figure the
member is complaining about now. Additionally, I make a further point. This
comparison is even more stark.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: I think it is important to make a
comparison because, in the end, the public will make a decision between us and an
alternative government. I know what an alternative Liberal–National government
will do to education.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Sabine Winton: The non-teaching school staff ratio
was 25.1 in 2014, whereas our extensive investment in ed assistants, school
psychs and other supports for schools has brought it down to 19.6 under WA
Labor.
The Speaker: Thank you, minister. That concludes
question time.
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