Tuesday, 15 August 2023

 Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:27): I rise to update the house on how Victorian students and teachers are celebrating National Science Week this week. I was really pleased to begin the week here in Parliament just yesterday with the students from Pascoe Vale celebrating Science Week along with the member for Pascoe Vale, who attended as well, to have a look at their mission to Mars project. It was absolutely fantastic. This is the second type of mission to Mars project that I have had the pleasure of seeing. I have also witnessed it with our talented students over at John Monash Science School, who celebrated International Women’s Day in science along with the member for Oakleigh just a few weeks ago.

We know jobs in STEM are the careers of the future, and that is why we are preparing our students for pathways into these jobs. That is why last budget we invested $116 million to build six new tech schools. This will provide an extra 62,000 secondary places and give access to high-tech experiences and specialised learning environments to our students. We are focused on encouraging the next generation of researchers, engineers, mathematicians and scientists and helping our students to develop a curiosity about the world in which we live.

But not everyone thinks this way. Not everyone believes in our students the way that we do. I just want to read out a quote which says:

Victorian children – who 25 years ago performed as well as kids from …

other countries –

now generally have the reading ability of most cave-children …

Do you know who said that? The opposition spokesman for education in the other place. It does not take a scientist to know that this is absolute rubbish, and perhaps those opposite should get back in their cave.