❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Premier Barnett on the impact of the credit rating downgrade on children's education. Premier Barnett defends the government's investment in schools and criticises McGowan's claims.
AnsweredQoN 530Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS —
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
530. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. The Premier did not explain
why children are suffering because of his failure to keep the AAA credit
rating.
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
530. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. The Premier did not explain
why children are suffering because of his failure to keep the AAA credit
rating.
AnswerView source ↗
The downgrade from AAA to AA+ is very regrettable and we will
take action on that. How can someone who is a Leader of the Opposition and an
aspirant to be Premier in Western Australia talk about children in our schools
suffering? Where does he think this is—Bangladesh?
Mr M. McGowan : Go
and talk to the 15 000 people.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What a disgraceful comment.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order
for the first time. The Premier is answering that question; if you want to ask
a question, put your name down.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean!
Dr
A.D. Buti : Bangladesh is your benchmark.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Stupid people.
The SPEAKER : Answer the question, please, Premier.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There are some old schools in Western Australia that are progressively being
replaced. That has been happening since the early 1990s. Members in this
chamber all visit schools. I say to the wider public, even if they do not have
children or grandchildren at schools, go and look at a new primary school built
in, say, the last 10 years. The revolution in refurbishing high schools started
with Shenton College, but at that time in the 1990s, it went through many areas
of metropolitan Perth and regional areas. I challenge people if they are
concerned about the quality of facilities, the standards of teaching, the
levels of equipment and supplies, to visit any school built in the last 20
years in Western Australia and see how good they are. Ask permission to go into
a class and look at the curriculum and the tuition underway.
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Armadale! I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition said that children were
suffering. Any child who qualifies for an education assistant on the grounds of
disability will be provided with one.
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Maylands!
I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Thousands of children predominantly in the government school
system have severe levels of disability. The taxpayers of Western Australia
generously support those children with up to $80 000 a year for a single child.
We do that and this Leader of the Opposition talks about children suffering in
our schools. He should be ashamed of that comment.
take action on that. How can someone who is a Leader of the Opposition and an
aspirant to be Premier in Western Australia talk about children in our schools
suffering? Where does he think this is—Bangladesh?
Mr M. McGowan : Go
and talk to the 15 000 people.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What a disgraceful comment.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order
for the first time. The Premier is answering that question; if you want to ask
a question, put your name down.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean!
Dr
A.D. Buti : Bangladesh is your benchmark.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Stupid people.
The SPEAKER : Answer the question, please, Premier.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There are some old schools in Western Australia that are progressively being
replaced. That has been happening since the early 1990s. Members in this
chamber all visit schools. I say to the wider public, even if they do not have
children or grandchildren at schools, go and look at a new primary school built
in, say, the last 10 years. The revolution in refurbishing high schools started
with Shenton College, but at that time in the 1990s, it went through many areas
of metropolitan Perth and regional areas. I challenge people if they are
concerned about the quality of facilities, the standards of teaching, the
levels of equipment and supplies, to visit any school built in the last 20
years in Western Australia and see how good they are. Ask permission to go into
a class and look at the curriculum and the tuition underway.
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Armadale! I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition said that children were
suffering. Any child who qualifies for an education assistant on the grounds of
disability will be provided with one.
Ms
L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Maylands!
I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Thousands of children predominantly in the government school
system have severe levels of disability. The taxpayers of Western Australia
generously support those children with up to $80 000 a year for a single child.
We do that and this Leader of the Opposition talks about children suffering in
our schools. He should be ashamed of that comment.
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