❓ QoN regarding the Education and Training capital works budget. The Minister's response deflects, criticises the previous government's record, and highlights improvements under the current government.
AnsweredQoN 835Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to his statement during the budget estimates debates on 21 May regarding the capital works program of the Department of Education and Training for schools for the coming financial year. The minister said that this year the Government would spend more on capital works than the Government had spent before, to the amount of $133 million. (1) Is the minister aware that in the final year of the coalition Government, the capital works budget for the Department of Education equated to more than $141 million? (2) Will the minister now concede that, despite the fact that the Department of Education and Training has identified $60 million of outstanding maintenance needs in our schools as advised in a question on notice, this Government’s capital works program is the smallest in education in four years? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
(1) Is the minister aware that in the final year of the coalition Government, the capital works budget for the Department of Education equated to more than $141 million? (2) Will the minister now concede that, despite the fact that the Department of Education and Training has identified $60 million of outstanding maintenance needs in our schools as advised in a question on notice, this Government’s capital works program is the smallest in education in four years? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
(2) Will the minister now concede that, despite the fact that the Department of Education and Training has identified $60 million of outstanding maintenance needs in our schools as advised in a question on notice, this Government’s capital works program is the smallest in education in four years? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
(1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
(1) Is the minister aware that in the final year of the coalition Government, the capital works budget for the Department of Education equated to more than $141 million? (2) Will the minister now concede that, despite the fact that the Department of Education and Training has identified $60 million of outstanding maintenance needs in our schools as advised in a question on notice, this Government’s capital works program is the smallest in education in four years? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
(2) Will the minister now concede that, despite the fact that the Department of Education and Training has identified $60 million of outstanding maintenance needs in our schools as advised in a question on notice, this Government’s capital works program is the smallest in education in four years? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
I thank the member for this question. I welcome to the Parliament students from the Little Grove Primary School in Albany. I hope they enjoy the experience. (1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
(1)-(2) The member asked an interesting question. I will tell members about the legacy that this Government inherited from the previous Government. We inherited a public education system that everybody knew was in dire trouble. Members opposite did not want to hear that message, but it was true. Everybody knew it. The neighbourhood dogs were barking the story that the public education system was in trouble. On the day before the last election, I took part in a debate in the ABC studios with Liam Bartlett and the then Minister for Education. When I pointed out the failings of the previous Government’s education policy and its attempts to maintain the public education system’s physical resources, the then education minister completely lost his cool. Someone had finally shown him the truth and held up an accurate picture of the public education system as it then was: declining enrolments, declining numbers of students staying to year 12 and a crisis looming in attracting teachers to the public education system. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I am looking after the schools in the electorate of the member for Warren-Blackwood, and he knows it. The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The previous Government was totally void of vision. A major turnaround in the position that we inherited has occurred in the past two and a half years. The Australian reported that Rossmoyne Senior High School - a government school - was voted the best school in Australia in a national competition. What did we inherit at Rossmoyne? We inherited a school the physical facility of which was crumbling; the ceilings were falling down. We conducted some research in that area to ascertain which Governments had spent money on Rossmoyne and when they spent money. We found that only state Labor Governments and a commonwealth Labor Government had ever spent any money on Rossmoyne. What do we see at Rossmoyne now? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The gall of the former education minister is unbelievable. He did nothing. The system was on autopilot. A couple of weeks before the last election, he was desperately reaching down into the department to cobble together a few initiatives. Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr C.J. Barnett: A total of $40 million went into school refurbishment. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Leader of the Opposition knows, I know and everybody else knows that he cobbled together a few initiatives so that the Liberal Party would have a policy to take to the election. Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr C.J. Barnett: You have politicised our schools. That was your mistake. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: That is the line the former education minister ran: do not politicise our schools. Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Neglect of government schools is a major political issue, which this Government has addressed. For the first time in a decade the trends are now going the other way. The member for Darling Range knows there has been a significant increase in spending on maintenance in schools. Capital works spending on schools is up. The retention of students in schools is up. What is the bottom line that the Opposition wants from a school system? Is it for the local members of Parliament or for the children in schools? What could the Leader of the Opposition say about his record at the end of five years as education minister? Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Heaps! Give me an hour. Suspend standing orders and I’ll tell you about early childhood kindergartens, curriculums, new schools; whatever you like. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I could say heaps about it, too. The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The previous Government left behind a blow-out in the budget of $100 million in a single year and a looming crisis in getting teachers into classrooms. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
The SPEAKER: This is the first time I have had to resort during today’s question time to call to order for the first time the members for Warren-Blackwood, Nedlands, Kalgoorlie and Riverton and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: This is the absolute bottom line position: we have now had an increase in retention rates in government schools for the first time in a decade. After all that, we have turned around the public perception of government schools. We are at the beginning of the process because the previous Government left behind a system that was crumbling. Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.D. Marshall: Why can’t you get into a private school? People have to book their kids in 20 years in advance. Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: I do not want to raise the issue of whose children do and do not go to private schools, unless I am absolutely forced to. I do not want the children in the gallery to be exposed to violence in the Chamber. The ultimate test would be to ask the member where his children went to school.
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