❓ The Minister for Education and Training reports an increase of 954 teachers and 1764 teacher aides in WA state schools since the current government took office, contrasting it with the previous government's performance and highlighting reduced school fees and increased maintenance funding.
AnsweredQoN 633Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the minister report on the number of teachers employed in Western Australian state schools at present, and on how these numbers compare with the same positions under the previous Government? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Albany for his question and for his advocacy of educational issues in his electorate. They are just about to leave, but I welcome the students of Aranmore Catholic College to the Parliament. I hope they have found it enjoyable. Members will be pleased to know - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Albany for his question and for his advocacy of educational issues in his electorate. They are just about to leave, but I welcome the students of Aranmore Catholic College to the Parliament. I hope they have found it enjoyable. Members will be pleased to know - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
I thank the member for Albany for his question and for his advocacy of educational issues in his electorate. They are just about to leave, but I welcome the students of Aranmore Catholic College to the Parliament. I hope they have found it enjoyable. Members will be pleased to know - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Albany for his question and for his advocacy of educational issues in his electorate. They are just about to leave, but I welcome the students of Aranmore Catholic College to the Parliament. I hope they have found it enjoyable. Members will be pleased to know - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
I thank the member for Albany for his question and for his advocacy of educational issues in his electorate. They are just about to leave, but I welcome the students of Aranmore Catholic College to the Parliament. I hope they have found it enjoyable. Members will be pleased to know - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The member for Warren-Blackwood will be pleased to know that the level of support of this State Government for non-government schools is an increase in excess of 30 per cent since we came into government. That far outstrips the support that the previous Government gave. However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
However, I will deal directly with the question asked by the member for Albany. Members of the Opposition might want to block their ears because this is a very good news story. We are into our fourth year of government. Over those four years there has been an increase of nearly 1 000 teachers in state schools in Western Australia, including promotional positions. This might be of interest to the member for Darling Range. We have increased the number of teachers in the system by 954. Member for Albany, there are 954 extra teachers. Certainly as significant, and perhaps more significant when we think about where the next group of people are distributed and with whom they work, is that we have increased the number of teacher aides in the state school system by 1 764 over that same period. There are 1 764 additional teacher aides in our government schools. Classically, those teacher aides work with students who have disabilities, high needs or behavioural issues. I very much doubt that there has been anything to compare with the increase in numbers of that magnitude in the history of education in Western Australia. Of course, we have done that without blowing the budget. We have done it without the reckless budget management which categorised the last Minister for Education and which was so well outlined in the letter to the former Treasurer by the then Under Treasurer, Mr John Langoulant, when he provided the very good description of the budget ineptitude of the then Minister for Education, and gave us a great reason that that man should never be trusted with the State’s purse. In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
In addition to those 954 extra teachers and 1 764 teacher aides, and bearing in mind what I have just said about the budget, we have reduced school fees across the board by $100 a child - a move that was fiercely resisted and fiercely argued against by our opponents in politics. It is hard to believe that anybody could argue that we should not reduce school fees. I congratulate the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, which has moved to make access to Catholic education easier financially for young people, thanks to the additional windfall amount it is getting from both the federal Government and the State Government of Western Australia. That is an example that everybody should seek to follow. The Catholic Education Office is following our example. We have made schools more accessible and less expensive for parents by reducing school fees, without blowing the budget. We have allocated the additional $65 million over and above that which was already allocated for maintenance with the intention of eradicating the school maintenance backlog. Sadly, the other side of politics is offering only $20 million. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I believe the member will find that parents are pretty interested. They want to know which two of every three schools in their area will not get any additional money if the member’s side gets elected. Parents want to know why the Opposition will slash maintenance funding by $45 million. Parents want to know the truth from the Opposition’s candidates in their electorates. This Government has a very good record in education and training in Western Australia. I have the graphs to demonstrate it. The graph representing increased staff numbers is on its way. The manufacturer is getting tired of all the good news. He is saying, “For God’s sake, what’s going on? This can’t be true.” We have to keep providing him with the figures that demonstrate that these things are true, that the previous Government really was that bad and that we really are so much better. I hope that my long list of graphic material will be added to tomorrow, and I will be able to show the Parliament the score on staffing - all done without blowing the budget.
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