❓ Mr. Rundle questions the Education Minister about the 'Facing the Facts' report on WA public education. The Minister responds by questioning Rundle's motives, given his past anti-union stance, while committing to considering the report alongside other reviews.
AnsweredQoN 807Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS — FACING
THE FACTS: A REVIEW OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
807. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I
refer to the release of the Facing the facts: A review of public education
in Western Australia report, the culmination of an independent review of the WA public education system chaired by Dr
Carmen Lawrence, and note the consistent findings that WA teachers are
overworked and undervalued.
(1) Is it
acceptable that teaching staff have had to rely on an independent review to
tell us what has been known about the public education system for years?
(2) Does the
minister agree with Dr Lawrence that significant change is urgently needed if
we are to continue to provide quality public education?
THE FACTS: A REVIEW OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
807. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I
refer to the release of the Facing the facts: A review of public education
in Western Australia report, the culmination of an independent review of the WA public education system chaired by Dr
Carmen Lawrence, and note the consistent findings that WA teachers are
overworked and undervalued.
(1) Is it
acceptable that teaching staff have had to rely on an independent review to
tell us what has been known about the public education system for years?
(2) Does the
minister agree with Dr Lawrence that significant change is urgently needed if
we are to continue to provide quality public education?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The
member did not mention, though, who commissioned the report—the State
School Teachers' Union of WA. The member was there yesterday for the
launch. I went up to him because I know how stressed he is at union situations.
I was worried!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr A.D. BUTI : I was really
worried for his health. He looked really agitated; he was sweating. I said, ''It
is okay. You know they will not jump on you and they will not eat you.''
We know that he is a well-known union hater, as I mentioned before. I think it was when we were discussing the Casino
Legislation Amendment (Burswood Casino) Bill 2022 that we talked about
who was going to head the Gaming and Wagering Commission. He said that he had concerns if anyone had a link to government or
unions. I asked him the question: ''What if they had been a High Court judge or a Supreme Court judge but had once been a union official?'' He
would not give any assurance that that would not be a concern for him. His
concern was if they had been a union official.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr A.D. BUTI : He now wants to
quote from a report that has been commissioned by a union, a very good union. I
applaud the fact that the union felt the need for a review of public education
because we all on this side of the house have a commitment to the public
education system.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr
A.D. BUTI : I look forward to the
member's support of union reports and union activity. When we were
debating the Liquor Control Amendment (Protected Entertainment
Precincts) Bill 2022, he said —
I cannot believe that there will be a
defence because the person needs to go into the precinct for union activities.
I find that quite bizarre, to be honest. That is one of the weakest points of
this legislation.
It is really quite interesting that
he now wants to rely on this report. Has the member read it yet?
Mr P.J. Rundle : Most of it.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : Most of it; that is
good. I find it interesting he is using Facing the facts: A review into
public education in Western Australia to try to make a political
argument. I will tell the member that I will give this report due consideration because I respect unions that have
concerns for their members and for the system that they work under . I have
great respect for the State School Teachers' Union of WA and for the
union movement as a collective. It is really fantastic that the member for Roe
has now come over to our side of the debate because we know there has been a lot
of fluidity on the other side with movement between parties and ideologies. It
is great he now has the bug and has come onto the union side.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms R. Saffioti : He'll
need another hat!
Dr A.D. BUTI : He will need
another hat—he will need two: union hater and union lover! Regarding
that review, it is only one review I am considering. There are many reviews in
the public education system. There is the national teacher workforce action
plan and the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report. There is also the
report that will be discussed by education ministers in December, by Dr Lisa O'Brien,
about creating an equitable and just public education system throughout
Australia. They are all very important reports and reviews and I will give due consideration to Facing the facts: A review
into public education in Western Australia , chaired by Carmen Lawrence .
I will not say no to it because it was commissioned by a union. I will not say
that, which is what the member would say normally. But, because it serves his
political purpose at the moment, he wants to start quoting from a union report. I find it fascinating that the National
Party would bar a former High Court judge from serving in an important position because they had once been a union official. I think the member for
Cockburn in that debate talked about a person
who had been a shop assistant at 18 years of age but was later a High Court
judge and that would bar them from being appointed by the government.
The member would not say that would bar someone. It is quite amazing. He has no
credibility when it comes to using union reports or reviews on anything. I do
have credibility because I respect the union and I will consider all the
recommendations.
member did not mention, though, who commissioned the report—the State
School Teachers' Union of WA. The member was there yesterday for the
launch. I went up to him because I know how stressed he is at union situations.
I was worried!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr A.D. BUTI : I was really
worried for his health. He looked really agitated; he was sweating. I said, ''It
is okay. You know they will not jump on you and they will not eat you.''
We know that he is a well-known union hater, as I mentioned before. I think it was when we were discussing the Casino
Legislation Amendment (Burswood Casino) Bill 2022 that we talked about
who was going to head the Gaming and Wagering Commission. He said that he had concerns if anyone had a link to government or
unions. I asked him the question: ''What if they had been a High Court judge or a Supreme Court judge but had once been a union official?'' He
would not give any assurance that that would not be a concern for him. His
concern was if they had been a union official.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr A.D. BUTI : He now wants to
quote from a report that has been commissioned by a union, a very good union. I
applaud the fact that the union felt the need for a review of public education
because we all on this side of the house have a commitment to the public
education system.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Dr
A.D. BUTI : I look forward to the
member's support of union reports and union activity. When we were
debating the Liquor Control Amendment (Protected Entertainment
Precincts) Bill 2022, he said —
I cannot believe that there will be a
defence because the person needs to go into the precinct for union activities.
I find that quite bizarre, to be honest. That is one of the weakest points of
this legislation.
It is really quite interesting that
he now wants to rely on this report. Has the member read it yet?
Mr P.J. Rundle : Most of it.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : Most of it; that is
good. I find it interesting he is using Facing the facts: A review into
public education in Western Australia to try to make a political
argument. I will tell the member that I will give this report due consideration because I respect unions that have
concerns for their members and for the system that they work under . I have
great respect for the State School Teachers' Union of WA and for the
union movement as a collective. It is really fantastic that the member for Roe
has now come over to our side of the debate because we know there has been a lot
of fluidity on the other side with movement between parties and ideologies. It
is great he now has the bug and has come onto the union side.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms R. Saffioti : He'll
need another hat!
Dr A.D. BUTI : He will need
another hat—he will need two: union hater and union lover! Regarding
that review, it is only one review I am considering. There are many reviews in
the public education system. There is the national teacher workforce action
plan and the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report. There is also the
report that will be discussed by education ministers in December, by Dr Lisa O'Brien,
about creating an equitable and just public education system throughout
Australia. They are all very important reports and reviews and I will give due consideration to Facing the facts: A review
into public education in Western Australia , chaired by Carmen Lawrence .
I will not say no to it because it was commissioned by a union. I will not say
that, which is what the member would say normally. But, because it serves his
political purpose at the moment, he wants to start quoting from a union report. I find it fascinating that the National
Party would bar a former High Court judge from serving in an important position because they had once been a union official. I think the member for
Cockburn in that debate talked about a person
who had been a shop assistant at 18 years of age but was later a High Court
judge and that would bar them from being appointed by the government.
The member would not say that would bar someone. It is quite amazing. He has no
credibility when it comes to using union reports or reviews on anything. I do
have credibility because I respect the union and I will consider all the
recommendations.
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