Ministers statements: education funding
Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for Medical Research) (14:11): I rise to update the house on how the Allan Labor government is supporting communities through our school partnerships with local community organisations. If you speak to anyone who is passionate about making our community better, the conversation will quickly turn to education and the importance of our schools. The Allan Labor government knows the importance of our schools – that it does not end at the school gates or when the bell rings. We know how important it is. When you think about the $31 billion investment, we have built more schools than any other state. And when we also think about the teacher workforce, all of us – whether it is you, Speaker, or me – are here because of the power of a teacher. The member for Nepean would have been taught his backhand by a teacher teaching tennis, and equally not to rush the net, because they might just lob over him to the member for Berwick. We also know the importance of reading, writing and maths, and our NAPLAN results show that – the importance of knowing how to count and doing your maths. We know the member for Berwick is practising at the moment.
We are getting on with the job. Our attendance rates are the best in the nation. We have the best rates for Indigenous students right across Australia. The best attendance rates are right here in Victoria. We know the student-to-teacher ratios, again, are best here in Victoria. We also know, as a result of the recent NAPLAN tests, that our students are top of their class – 10 out of 10. But we are not wasting a minute. We are getting on with it, because we know on this side of the chamber that investing in public education is the most important investment we can have in our future. That is why we are getting on with the job – to make sure we have more teachers. We are not rushing the net, we are taking our time. We have got the pace, and we are going to seize the day. As Robin Williams said in Dead Poets Society, seize the day.