❓ Mr. Stephens questions the Minister for Education on initiatives to secure teachers in regional WA. The Minister initially digresses into political commentary before outlining a scholarship program aimed at attracting teachers to remote areas.
AnsweredQoN 140Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS — REGIONAL WESTERN AUSTRALIA 140. Mr T.G. STEPHENS to the Minister for Education and Training: What recent initiatives have been put in place by the Carpenter government to secure teachers in regional Western Australia and specialised teaching positions? Mr M. McGOWAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. It is very important that we get teachers out to country WA and that we have enough teachers to teach students in schools throughout the state. That is why last year we put in place the new scholarship program, which I announced in the second half of last year. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
TEACHERS — REGIONAL WESTERN AUSTRALIA
What recent initiatives have been put in place by the Carpenter government to secure teachers in regional Western Australia and specialised teaching positions? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the member for the question. It is very important that we get teachers out to country WA and that we have enough teachers to teach students in schools throughout the state. That is why last year we put in place the new scholarship program, which I announced in the second half of last year. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the member for the question. It is very important that we get teachers out to country WA and that we have enough teachers to teach students in schools throughout the state. That is why last year we put in place the new scholarship program, which I announced in the second half of last year. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
I thank the member for the question. It is very important that we get teachers out to country WA and that we have enough teachers to teach students in schools throughout the state. That is why last year we put in place the new scholarship program, which I announced in the second half of last year. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
“Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
TEACHERS — REGIONAL WESTERN AUSTRALIA
What recent initiatives have been put in place by the Carpenter government to secure teachers in regional Western Australia and specialised teaching positions? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the member for the question. It is very important that we get teachers out to country WA and that we have enough teachers to teach students in schools throughout the state. That is why last year we put in place the new scholarship program, which I announced in the second half of last year. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the member for the question. It is very important that we get teachers out to country WA and that we have enough teachers to teach students in schools throughout the state. That is why last year we put in place the new scholarship program, which I announced in the second half of last year. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
I thank the member for the question. It is very important that we get teachers out to country WA and that we have enough teachers to teach students in schools throughout the state. That is why last year we put in place the new scholarship program, which I announced in the second half of last year. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I would not be laughing if I were the Leader of the Opposition, having read the Newspoll result today. Thinking about that Newspoll result and considering the Leader of the Opposition has interjected upon me, I can only hark back to an article in the Sunday Times in December last year in which Mr Crichton-Browne was quoted. The article states — Mr Crichton-Browne told The Sunday Times he had been angry that Mr Buswell lied to him, promising to vote for Mr Birney . . . Point of Order Mr C.J. BARNETT : Whatever Noel Crichton-Browne might have said might be interesting to some people, but it is not relevant to the question that was asked. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to instruct the minister to answer the question; or, if he wants to suspend standing orders to debate corrupt Labor, we will do it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe knows that a point of order is not an opportunity to make a speech, even if he wishes to. The minister should direct his answer to the question. The interjections that were made were disorderly. However, they opened the door for comments to be made on those interjections. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you for your ruling, Mr Speaker. According to the article, Mr Crichton-Browne said this about the Leader of the Opposition — “Yes, I have forgiven him,” Mr Crichton-Browne said. Collectively, those people (Birney supporters) have forgiven him. “Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake. Members opposite will like this. Just wait. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
“Politics is made up of fallible people and he (Mr Buswell) was human. Everyone can be forgiven for one terrible political mistake.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The article states — “Anyway, I can’t think of anyone who could be more incompetent than Omodei—and I have thought long and hard about that.” He was wrong. As the Newspoll result today shows, he was absolutely wrong in his assessment of the Leader of the Opposition. However, one thing was pointed out, and that was that the Leader of the Opposition has a close personal relationship with Noel Crichton-Browne. Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr T. Buswell : Have you been to the Blue Duck? Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I will answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question, if he likes. Yes, sure; Mr Crichton-Browne wanted to pass on information about members of the Liberal Party. In 2001, he had a few things to say about the then Leader of the Opposition. It is no secret that I had a coffee with Noel Crichton-Browne in 2001, and at that time he passed on information about members of the Liberal Party. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. He is leaving — Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quite like the member for Cottesloe. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : It is clear that people on my left, and some on my right, wish us to go all over the place. I want the minister to now restrict the answer directly to the question he has been asked. There is to be no more mention of Crichton-Browne and no mention of any lobbyist. The minister will answer the question. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I thank you for your protection. I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
I am very pleased to announce that under the scholarship program we launched last year, 346 applicants have signed up for 2008. Thirty-two of those applicants will receive $60 000 for completing four years of country service. I expect that those scholarship recipients will go to particularly remote community schools in the Kimberley, the Pilbara and the goldfields. That is 346 applicants, and the scholarship program comprises 158 scholarships to final-year teaching graduates, 24 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as mathematics teachers, 23 scholarships for current teachers to retrain as science teachers, 11 scholarships for people to become qualified as design and technology teachers, and 10 scholarships for people to become qualified as home economics teachers. Sixty Aboriginal and islander education officers and 60 education assistants have also been offered scholarships to become qualified teachers. Therefore, 346 students who are at university this year have volunteered to go to the country. This is probably the biggest and best initiative ever taken by a state government to get teachers out to country schools in Western Australia.
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