❓ Mr Day questions the Minister for Education regarding an anticipated teacher shortage for the 2008 school year, citing concerns raised by the State School Teachers’ Union. The Minister dismisses the union's figures and accuses the opposition of creating a crisis atmosphere.
AnsweredQoN 730Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHER SHORTAGE
I refer the minister to his failure on Tuesday to answer a question about the anticipated teacher shortage for the start of the 2008 school year. The State School Teachers’ Union of WA estimates that there will be a shortage of 600 teachers next year. This estimate was used to form the basis of the questions put to the minister in the Legislative Council last week. (1) Given that the shortage of teachers in schools is a critical issue for the education of our children, has the minister received or sought any advice on the likely shortage for next year? (2) If so, what is the likely shortage? (3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN
I refer the minister to his failure on Tuesday to answer a question about the anticipated teacher shortage for the start of the 2008 school year. The State School Teachers’ Union of WA estimates that there will be a shortage of 600 teachers next year. This estimate was used to form the basis of the questions put to the minister in the Legislative Council last week. (1) Given that the shortage of teachers in schools is a critical issue for the education of our children, has the minister received or sought any advice on the likely shortage for next year? (2) If so, what is the likely shortage? (3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(1) Given that the shortage of teachers in schools is a critical issue for the education of our children, has the minister received or sought any advice on the likely shortage for next year? (2) If so, what is the likely shortage? (3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(2) If so, what is the likely shortage? (3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(1) Given that the shortage of teachers in schools is a critical issue for the education of our children, has the minister received or sought any advice on the likely shortage for next year? (2) If so, what is the likely shortage? (3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(2) If so, what is the likely shortage? (3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(3) If the minister has not received or sought any such advice, why not? Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: (1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
(1)-(3) The figures bandied around by the State School Teachers’ Union are without basis. I urge the school teachers’ union to support public education and to not try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education, as the opposition continues to do. This government is currently in the process of undertaking a whole range of initiatives to attract more teachers. As any education minister - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Mr M. McGOWAN : As any education minister or former education minister will know, the process of staffing schools continues right up until the day on which school starts next year. That is exactly what happens. Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Several members interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is exactly what happens. The member for Cottesloe never remembers anything from his time in office. He remembers nothing whatsoever - zero! I remember that when the member for Cottesloe was the Minister for Education, he had a shortage of teachers greater than that faced by this government at the same time of the year. Did the then Labor opposition try to create an atmosphere of crisis around public education? No, it did not. The member for Darling Range is a decent person and I urge him to understand that the government is now in the process of recruiting as many teachers as possible and will be better able to read the situation early next year.
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