A member of parliament questions the Minister for Education's decision to attend a ministerial council meeting, citing the Premier's instructions to limit attendance and prioritise significant state matters. The Minister defends their attendance, highlighting a crucial agenda item regarding federal overreach in university regulation and a meeting with Minister Garrett.

AnsweredQoN 716Legislative Assembly
Asked
17 November 2010
Portfolio
Education

QuestionView source ↗

MINISTERS FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT — MINISTERIAL COUNCIL MEETING ATTENDANCE
I refer to the ministerial council meeting which the minister and the Minister for Training and Workforce Development will be attending later this week and for which they are paired all day Thursday. (1) Why have they disregarded the Premier’s comments of 1 November that “I have simply said to ministers I do not expect to see two or three ministers attending the same meeting”? (2) Why has the minister again disregarded the Premier’s comments when he said “Look at the agenda, if it is not of significance to this state then I have said, don’t go, just do a telephone hook-up”? (3) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council meeting in fact commences at 1.30 pm on Friday? (4) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council agenda predominantly relates to vocational education training and training matters that are the responsibility of the Minister for Training and Workforce Development? Dr E. CONSTABLE

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(4) I have not disregarded any direction or comment from the Premier. In fact, I discussed this matter with the Premier in his office. I will be going to that ministerial council meeting because a very important agenda item refers to the tertiary education quality and standards agency legislation, which is the federal government’s bid to take over the regulation and standards of our universities. We are not at all happy about the federal government using its corporations power to take away what is rightfully an area for the state to be involved in. Indeed, the meeting does start at one o’clock, but Minister Garrett has asked to meet with me in Sydney on Friday morning, and I have agreed to do that, about matters related, I believe, to the My School website and the national curriculum, which is also of vital concern to Western Australia; therefore, I intend to meet with him on Friday morning. Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.
(1) Why have they disregarded the Premier’s comments of 1 November that “I have simply said to ministers I do not expect to see two or three ministers attending the same meeting”? (2) Why has the minister again disregarded the Premier’s comments when he said “Look at the agenda, if it is not of significance to this state then I have said, don’t go, just do a telephone hook-up”? (3) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council meeting in fact commences at 1.30 pm on Friday? (4) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council agenda predominantly relates to vocational education training and training matters that are the responsibility of the Minister for Training and Workforce Development? Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(4) I have not disregarded any direction or comment from the Premier. In fact, I discussed this matter with the Premier in his office. I will be going to that ministerial council meeting because a very important agenda item refers to the tertiary education quality and standards agency legislation, which is the federal government’s bid to take over the regulation and standards of our universities. We are not at all happy about the federal government using its corporations power to take away what is rightfully an area for the state to be involved in. Indeed, the meeting does start at one o’clock, but Minister Garrett has asked to meet with me in Sydney on Friday morning, and I have agreed to do that, about matters related, I believe, to the My School website and the national curriculum, which is also of vital concern to Western Australia; therefore, I intend to meet with him on Friday morning. Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.
(2) Why has the minister again disregarded the Premier’s comments when he said “Look at the agenda, if it is not of significance to this state then I have said, don’t go, just do a telephone hook-up”? (3) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council meeting in fact commences at 1.30 pm on Friday? (4) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council agenda predominantly relates to vocational education training and training matters that are the responsibility of the Minister for Training and Workforce Development? Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(4) I have not disregarded any direction or comment from the Premier. In fact, I discussed this matter with the Premier in his office. I will be going to that ministerial council meeting because a very important agenda item refers to the tertiary education quality and standards agency legislation, which is the federal government’s bid to take over the regulation and standards of our universities. We are not at all happy about the federal government using its corporations power to take away what is rightfully an area for the state to be involved in. Indeed, the meeting does start at one o’clock, but Minister Garrett has asked to meet with me in Sydney on Friday morning, and I have agreed to do that, about matters related, I believe, to the My School website and the national curriculum, which is also of vital concern to Western Australia; therefore, I intend to meet with him on Friday morning. Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.
(3) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council meeting in fact commences at 1.30 pm on Friday? (4) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council agenda predominantly relates to vocational education training and training matters that are the responsibility of the Minister for Training and Workforce Development? Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(4) I have not disregarded any direction or comment from the Premier. In fact, I discussed this matter with the Premier in his office. I will be going to that ministerial council meeting because a very important agenda item refers to the tertiary education quality and standards agency legislation, which is the federal government’s bid to take over the regulation and standards of our universities. We are not at all happy about the federal government using its corporations power to take away what is rightfully an area for the state to be involved in. Indeed, the meeting does start at one o’clock, but Minister Garrett has asked to meet with me in Sydney on Friday morning, and I have agreed to do that, about matters related, I believe, to the My School website and the national curriculum, which is also of vital concern to Western Australia; therefore, I intend to meet with him on Friday morning. Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.
(4) Can the minister confirm that the ministerial council agenda predominantly relates to vocational education training and training matters that are the responsibility of the Minister for Training and Workforce Development? Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(4) I have not disregarded any direction or comment from the Premier. In fact, I discussed this matter with the Premier in his office. I will be going to that ministerial council meeting because a very important agenda item refers to the tertiary education quality and standards agency legislation, which is the federal government’s bid to take over the regulation and standards of our universities. We are not at all happy about the federal government using its corporations power to take away what is rightfully an area for the state to be involved in. Indeed, the meeting does start at one o’clock, but Minister Garrett has asked to meet with me in Sydney on Friday morning, and I have agreed to do that, about matters related, I believe, to the My School website and the national curriculum, which is also of vital concern to Western Australia; therefore, I intend to meet with him on Friday morning. Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(4) I have not disregarded any direction or comment from the Premier. In fact, I discussed this matter with the Premier in his office. I will be going to that ministerial council meeting because a very important agenda item refers to the tertiary education quality and standards agency legislation, which is the federal government’s bid to take over the regulation and standards of our universities. We are not at all happy about the federal government using its corporations power to take away what is rightfully an area for the state to be involved in. Indeed, the meeting does start at one o’clock, but Minister Garrett has asked to meet with me in Sydney on Friday morning, and I have agreed to do that, about matters related, I believe, to the My School website and the national curriculum, which is also of vital concern to Western Australia; therefore, I intend to meet with him on Friday morning. Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.
(1)–(4) I have not disregarded any direction or comment from the Premier. In fact, I discussed this matter with the Premier in his office. I will be going to that ministerial council meeting because a very important agenda item refers to the tertiary education quality and standards agency legislation, which is the federal government’s bid to take over the regulation and standards of our universities. We are not at all happy about the federal government using its corporations power to take away what is rightfully an area for the state to be involved in. Indeed, the meeting does start at one o’clock, but Minister Garrett has asked to meet with me in Sydney on Friday morning, and I have agreed to do that, about matters related, I believe, to the My School website and the national curriculum, which is also of vital concern to Western Australia; therefore, I intend to meet with him on Friday morning. Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.
Mr E.S. Ripper : The draft agenda looks pretty light on to me.

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