❓ The Minister for Education assures that the Acts Amendment (Lesbian and Gay Law Reform) Bill 2001 will not impact the state's health education curriculum, while acknowledging existing and upcoming resources on relationships and sexual health, including same-sex relationships.
AnsweredQoN 622Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION CURRICULUM, GAY AND LESBIAN REFORM BILL
Will the Acts Amendment (Lesbian and Gay Law Reform) Bill 2001 have any impact on the health education curriculum in our schools? Mr CARPENTER
Will the Acts Amendment (Lesbian and Gay Law Reform) Bill 2001 have any impact on the health education curriculum in our schools? Mr CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question and for some notice of it. For members who are unaware of which Bill the member for Mandurah referred to, it is the gay and lesbian reform Bill. I was disturbed at the way debate on this issue unfolded last week and the device by which the debate was introduced. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition will understand what I am saying about that. The debate accelerated, but the media failed to give me, as the Minister for Education, the opportunity to have input into the debate. I have had discussions with the Attorney General and we have a very clear understanding of the effects of this legislation. This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for his question and for some notice of it. For members who are unaware of which Bill the member for Mandurah referred to, it is the gay and lesbian reform Bill. I was disturbed at the way debate on this issue unfolded last week and the device by which the debate was introduced. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition will understand what I am saying about that. The debate accelerated, but the media failed to give me, as the Minister for Education, the opportunity to have input into the debate. I have had discussions with the Attorney General and we have a very clear understanding of the effects of this legislation. This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
I thank the member for his question and for some notice of it. For members who are unaware of which Bill the member for Mandurah referred to, it is the gay and lesbian reform Bill. I was disturbed at the way debate on this issue unfolded last week and the device by which the debate was introduced. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition will understand what I am saying about that. The debate accelerated, but the media failed to give me, as the Minister for Education, the opportunity to have input into the debate. I have had discussions with the Attorney General and we have a very clear understanding of the effects of this legislation. This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
For members who are unaware of which Bill the member for Mandurah referred to, it is the gay and lesbian reform Bill. I was disturbed at the way debate on this issue unfolded last week and the device by which the debate was introduced. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition will understand what I am saying about that. The debate accelerated, but the media failed to give me, as the Minister for Education, the opportunity to have input into the debate. I have had discussions with the Attorney General and we have a very clear understanding of the effects of this legislation. This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for his question and for some notice of it. For members who are unaware of which Bill the member for Mandurah referred to, it is the gay and lesbian reform Bill. I was disturbed at the way debate on this issue unfolded last week and the device by which the debate was introduced. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition will understand what I am saying about that. The debate accelerated, but the media failed to give me, as the Minister for Education, the opportunity to have input into the debate. I have had discussions with the Attorney General and we have a very clear understanding of the effects of this legislation. This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
I thank the member for his question and for some notice of it. For members who are unaware of which Bill the member for Mandurah referred to, it is the gay and lesbian reform Bill. I was disturbed at the way debate on this issue unfolded last week and the device by which the debate was introduced. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition will understand what I am saying about that. The debate accelerated, but the media failed to give me, as the Minister for Education, the opportunity to have input into the debate. I have had discussions with the Attorney General and we have a very clear understanding of the effects of this legislation. This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
For members who are unaware of which Bill the member for Mandurah referred to, it is the gay and lesbian reform Bill. I was disturbed at the way debate on this issue unfolded last week and the device by which the debate was introduced. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition will understand what I am saying about that. The debate accelerated, but the media failed to give me, as the Minister for Education, the opportunity to have input into the debate. I have had discussions with the Attorney General and we have a very clear understanding of the effects of this legislation. This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
This legislation will not have any impact on the curriculum. As the previous Minister for Education should know, for the past two years a working group comprising people from the Departments of Health and Education have been working collaboratively to develop “Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships” as a package for teacher support materials, with a focus on relationships, growth and sexual health. That program has been in process for two years. The material has just been completed and the department is examining a delivery strategy. That material does not refer specifically to same-sex attracted youth. However, at the same time, a working party at commonwealth level - in the Prime Minister’s conservative federal Government - from the Department of Health and Aged Care recently developed a package called “Talking Sexual Health”, which involves curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth Government. That resource material deals with same-sex relationships, power in relationships and sexual health, including same-sex attracted youth. The state Department of Education, with the Curriculum Council, will review that curriculum support material developed by the Commonwealth to ascertain its suitability for introduction in Western Australia. As the Attorney General said, a working party has been examining the issue of sexual health. Another group at the commonwealth level has been looking at the same issues, specifically matters related to same-sex attracted youth. Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr Birney: Why then is the Attorney General deleting section 24, which makes it unlawful to promote or encourage homosexuality in schools? Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: I will come back to that. This legislation will have no impact on the state curriculum. Other things impact on it, but I have complete and utter faith in the professionalism of our curriculum developers in Western Australia to devise and define a curriculum that is appropriate to our times. They do not need me or anyone else to tell them exactly what they should put in the curriculum on sexual health. However, the material developed by the Commonwealth will be reviewed. Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Last week a delegation of parents and citizens representatives from the Catholic Education Office came to my office and raised this matter. I told them the same thing and said that after the legislation has been passed, life will go on; it will be business as usual. The passage of this legislation will be very controversial and it will spark a very heated debate in our community. However, nothing specifically related to the passage of this legislation will impact on our curriculum. If Catholic and non-government schools want to take initiatives beyond what they are instructing on in their schools, that is their right. However, it will not be imposed on them in the curriculum. Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Members in here who somehow think their children or other children in schools can be insulated from the real world should think again. My four daughters are now in primary school. Once the two eldest reached the age of nine or 10 they began to talk about issues related to homosexuality. It is debated in the schoolyard. When my eldest daughter was nine or 10 she came home from school talking about gays, lesbians and relationships, so as a parent I thought it might be a good idea to explain what the issues were. Parents have nothing to fear. My second daughter went through the same process. I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
I will now come to the point made by the member for Kalgoorlie about the repeal of that Bill. Public education in Western Australia is more than 100 years old. I have yet to have brought to my attention one case of a person in a school promoting homosexuality as though it were part of the curriculum. Has anybody in this Chamber experienced that in public education? Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Several opposition members interjected. Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: I remember very well when that legislation was passed through the upper House and the motivation of Hon Peter Foss to include that clause. I know what it was all about. Nothing changed before that Bill, nothing changed after and nothing will change now. The clause was included in that Bill for the specific purpose of mollifying some of the supporters of the conservative side of politics for the small steps that Hon Peter Foss was taking. It had no practical effect other than to raise the possibility of a criminal sanction against a person for holding a point of view. Does that sort of sanction apply in any other walk of life in Western Australia? No, it does not. The repeal of that legislation has nothing to do with the school curriculum; it has everything to do with the basic rights of the individual. There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
There will be no change in the school curriculum in relation to sexual health without the full - Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Several opposition members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
The SPEAKER: Order! Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: It is a very sad day, but this sort of reaction was to be anticipated. There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
There will be no change in the curriculum in Western Australian schools as a result of the legislation without full consultation with parent representative bodies. Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr Barnett: Now there will be change; you said there would be no change and now there will be. Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
Mr CARPENTER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to hear me out. There will be no change in the school curriculum related to sexual health and other issues without full consultation with parent representative bodies in Western Australia. It will be business as usual. Life will go on. There is nothing to fear.
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