❓ Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions Premier Colin Barnett about education funding cuts, linking them to financial mismanagement in the energy portfolio and the loss of the state's AAA credit rating. The Premier denies any connection and defends the new funding formula.
AnsweredQoN 529Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS — INDUSTRIAL ACTION
529. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the rally today, which attracted more than 12 000
education staff and 5 000 in the regions and which was called because of the
cuts to the education portfolio due to the government's financial
mismanagement.
(1) Why should
children suffer and education staff lose their jobs because his now Minister
for Education lost a billion dollars in the energy portfolio?
(2) Why should
children suffer because of the Premier's financial incompetence and
loss of our prized AAA credit rating?
529. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the rally today, which attracted more than 12 000
education staff and 5 000 in the regions and which was called because of the
cuts to the education portfolio due to the government's financial
mismanagement.
(1) Why should
children suffer and education staff lose their jobs because his now Minister
for Education lost a billion dollars in the energy portfolio?
(2) Why should
children suffer because of the Premier's financial incompetence and
loss of our prized AAA credit rating?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) There is absolutely no relationship —
Mr W.J. Johnston :
What a joke; a comedy routine.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cannington, I call
you to order for the first time.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! I call you to
order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There is no relationship between issues relating to Muja AB and the decisions
about staffing government schools for 2014.
Mr M. McGowan : If
you lose money in one place, you can't spend it somewhere else.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As I and the Minister for Education have said on numerous occasions, a new
funding–staffing formula has been put in place to transition to in
2014. It will be funding on a needs basis following the students and students
with extra needs and extra funding attached to them. It is exactly the same
principle as the Gonski proposal, which, ironically, the State School Teachers'
Union of WA has demonstrated in support of. The Teese recommendations follow
basically the same principle.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The school support program resource allocation funding has been cut by 30 per
cent, which represents maybe two per cent of the funding of most schools. Let
us get it in perspective.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When some of the schools and people speaking out talk about hundreds of
thousands of dollars going, it may be that a school will lose, say, two teachers
and that may equate to $200 000, but they will not be losing money. The staff
will be reallocated.
An opposition member interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The salaries are paid through the education department, not at a school level.
It is a reallocation of staff, not money.
While I am on my feet, yesterday, the Leader of the
Opposition, I think, disputed information I supplied on Churchlands Senior High
School when I said that that school would gain staff. I have checked that
information, and on the figures available to the department as of now, the
establishment FTE for Churchlands Senior High School is currently 96.5 FTEs and
for 2014 it will be 100.5 FTEs—an increase of four FTEs into
Churchlands Senior High School. That is the establishment.
Tabling of Paper
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
I call upon the Premier to table the official document he just referred to,
please.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not an official document. I am happy to make it available. It shows the
number of FTEs. If the member wants it, she can have it.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Thank you.
[See paper 800.]
Mr W.J. Johnston :
What a joke; a comedy routine.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cannington, I call
you to order for the first time.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen! I call you to
order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There is no relationship between issues relating to Muja AB and the decisions
about staffing government schools for 2014.
Mr M. McGowan : If
you lose money in one place, you can't spend it somewhere else.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As I and the Minister for Education have said on numerous occasions, a new
funding–staffing formula has been put in place to transition to in
2014. It will be funding on a needs basis following the students and students
with extra needs and extra funding attached to them. It is exactly the same
principle as the Gonski proposal, which, ironically, the State School Teachers'
Union of WA has demonstrated in support of. The Teese recommendations follow
basically the same principle.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The school support program resource allocation funding has been cut by 30 per
cent, which represents maybe two per cent of the funding of most schools. Let
us get it in perspective.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When some of the schools and people speaking out talk about hundreds of
thousands of dollars going, it may be that a school will lose, say, two teachers
and that may equate to $200 000, but they will not be losing money. The staff
will be reallocated.
An opposition member interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The salaries are paid through the education department, not at a school level.
It is a reallocation of staff, not money.
While I am on my feet, yesterday, the Leader of the
Opposition, I think, disputed information I supplied on Churchlands Senior High
School when I said that that school would gain staff. I have checked that
information, and on the figures available to the department as of now, the
establishment FTE for Churchlands Senior High School is currently 96.5 FTEs and
for 2014 it will be 100.5 FTEs—an increase of four FTEs into
Churchlands Senior High School. That is the establishment.
Tabling of Paper
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
I call upon the Premier to table the official document he just referred to,
please.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not an official document. I am happy to make it available. It shows the
number of FTEs. If the member wants it, she can have it.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Thank you.
[See paper 800.]
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