❓ Mr. Masters questions the lack of funding for the Labor Government's pledge to reduce class sizes. Mr. Carpenter responds by blaming the previous government for making unfunded promises, while committing to honouring and funding the policy.
AnsweredQoN 549Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION, CLASS SIZES FOR PREPRIMARY TO YEAR 3
I refer the minister to the Labor Government’s pre-election pledge to support the class-size ratio for the years preprimary to year 3 of no more than 24 per class. Why has no specific funding been allocated for this commitment? Mr CARPENTER
I refer the minister to the Labor Government’s pre-election pledge to support the class-size ratio for the years preprimary to year 3 of no more than 24 per class. Why has no specific funding been allocated for this commitment? Mr CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I get some sensible questions from the member and this is one of them. Mr Johnson: We would like to get some sensible answers. Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I get some sensible questions from the member and this is one of them. Mr Johnson: We would like to get some sensible answers. Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
I thank the member for the question. I get some sensible questions from the member and this is one of them. Mr Johnson: We would like to get some sensible answers. Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Johnson: We would like to get some sensible answers. Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I get some sensible questions from the member and this is one of them. Mr Johnson: We would like to get some sensible answers. Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
I thank the member for the question. I get some sensible questions from the member and this is one of them. Mr Johnson: We would like to get some sensible answers. Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Johnson: We would like to get some sensible answers. Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: I could spend all day on my feet picking off the member every five minutes if he wants me to. The member should just keep out of it for his own sake. Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Barnett: We are saving you for later. Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: I am glad that we heard the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition, because he knows the answer to this question. Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Barnett: I reduced class sizes. Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: He reduced class sizes! The member for Vasse should have asked the question of the Leader of the Opposition! When we came to government, we were left with a commitment by the previous Government, which we said we would honour, that class sizes in the years that were mentioned would be reduced to 24 by 2003. We were also left with the fact that that commitment - Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Masters interjected. Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: They would be; they have not been. We were left with a commitment that was completely unfunded. Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Barnett: Broken promise! Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: Any politician in the run-up to an election campaign can walk out onto the front steps of the Parliament - Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Several members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: We could walk out onto the front steps of Parliament and make any outrageous promise or assertion we wanted and then, after losing or winning the election campaign, we could say that we did not have the money. That is exactly what the previous Government did. It reduced class sizes in the first instance; that is correct and I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition for that. However, I discovered that he did that without funding it properly. Because of the reduction in class sizes in schools in the electorate of the member for Vasse, and because there are no additional resources to manage that reduction, classes are now being conducted in former wet areas and on verandas. Is that the case? Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr Masters: Yes. Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
Mr CARPENTER: It is unbelievable that an approach like that could have been pursued by the previous Government. To manage the sort of situation that the member is confronted with in his electorate, and which many other members are confronted with in their electorates, we have said that we will honour that commitment. It is good educational policy to reduce class sizes in those early years. It will happen and it will be funded. We have picked up the policy that the previous Government promised to implement. We will implement it and we will pay for it.
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