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- 25 June 2003
Port Macquarie Education
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Mr OAKESHOTT (Port Macquarie) [6.28 p.m.]: I raise the concerns of a large number of people in the education sector about education on the mid North Coast. Both Hastings Council and Greater Taree City Council are passionate supporters of education as one of the key growth initiatives for the mid North Coast. A great deal of positive planning has been done to accommodate improvements at universities and primary schools in areas such as the Lake Cattai-Bonny Hills area, and at community college and TAFE facilities in the local area. However, concerns have been expressed about some of the initiatives announced last night in the budget with regard to changes in the payment of student TAFE fees and the restructure of the life-long learning package announced by the Minister a fortnight ago.
The local community has also expressed concern about teachers award issues, which hopefully will be resolved in the near future. I received a letter from John Fisher, a teacher at Westport Public School and the President of the Port Macquarie Teachers Association, to whom I spoke on the phone yesterday. Mr Fisher expressed his concern, on behalf of all the teachers in the Port Macquarie area, about the current funding from the Carr Government with regard to the teachers award. I believe it is a very strong argument that John and the teachers association present, and I hope that the Government addresses the matter.
I also received a letter from Joneen Troup, the manager of Camden Haven Community College, and Leanne Alexander, the manager of Port Macquarie Community College, which is the largest college of its type in New South Wales. Statistics show that almost 20 per cent of the local population enrol in adult education courses at the college. The managers of the colleges are concerned about the restructure and its implications for the Board of Adult and Community Education and the flow-on effect to those community colleges.
I also received a letter from Barry Johnson, the General Secretary of the Teachers Federation, which I believe echoes the concerns expressed throughout the State with regard to the non-supply of the funding referred to in the Vinson report, a major issue raised during the election campaign. I would hope that a government that espoused a commitment to funding election promises will honour that commitment with regard to the funding referred to in the Vinson report. As the three letters refer to concerns raised in the Port Macquarie electorate and other electorates, I seek leave to table them for the interest of honourable members.
Mr ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Mills): Order! Leave cannot be granted. Only Ministers can table papers in the House. However, the honourable member may lay the documents on the table for the information of other members.
Mr OAKESHOTT: I will be pleased to advise the authors that honourable members will diligently read their letters, as they also reflect the concerns raised in other electorates. With regard to building issues in the Port Macquarie electorate, I seek the support of the Department of Education and Training and the Minister in ensuring that capital works improvements take place at Lake Cattai primary school in the near future. I also urge the Commonwealth to provide the funding necessary to initiate improvements to Hastings University. All the local planning work is being done, and recurrent funding from the Commonwealth is all that is required to make the improvements a reality. Everyone is twiddling their thumbs waiting for that to happen. I encourage the Commonwealth to get on with the job and support our local community by providing better education services, which all of us deserve.
Mr GAUDRY (Newcastle—Parliamentary Secretary) [6.33 p.m.]: I thank the honourable member for Port Macquarie for his contribution. He has tabled for the information of members letters setting out the concerns of his constituents regarding education in his electorate. The honourable member would be aware, of course, that yesterday the Treasurer, in delivering the Budget Speech, outlined record spending in education and health, and an absolute commitment by the Carr Government to meeting its election promises, including promises in relation to reduced class sizes for K-2, thus emphasising the importance of the early phases of learning.
The honourable member mentioned TAFE fees. About 120,000 students, or 60 per cent of students in the TAFE system, are fee exempt and can undertake a wide range of TAFE activities without paying fees. If the students who will have no fee change are added to that number, we are talking about a significant proportion of all those undertaking TAFE studies. Apart from in the Northern Territory—I believe the Treasurer said in the budget yesterday that the Northern Territory is probably the most heavily subsidised area in Australia—New South Wales has the lowest TAFE fees of any of the other States. The honourable member has raised points that require further consideration. The Hon. Dr Refshauge has announced a period of consultation on the restructures, and those matters will definitely be taken into account within that period. [Time expired.]
[Mr Acting-Speaker (Mr Mills) left the chair at 6.35 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.]
Private members' statements noted.
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