Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Ministers statements: education system

Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (14:36): I rise to update the house on the expansion of principals’ powers to expel and suspend students at government schools. The Allan Labor government is committed to giving principals the tools they need to keep our schools safe. From the start of this term, principals are now able to suspend or expel students for behaviour that happens outside the school gates, indeed online when it happens outside in people’s homes. We know what schools have to deal with every Monday morning. When I talk to the principals and the students: what happens online? What happens on the weekend? We want to give the principals the powers to suspend and expel. We also want to make it very clear that this is a power that should be used as a last resort.

We know how important school is and how important education is. That is why on this side of the chamber we are investing in the schoolwide positive behaviour program. Deputy Speaker, you may recall that you and I got to see that firsthand at a recent visit to Ashburton Primary School, where the principal outlined how this investment is teaching positive behaviours and is making sure that students that need extra help are getting it as well. We know that creating safe spaces is so important. That is why the last budget invested an additional $10 million to expand the schoolwide positive behaviour program to another 400 schools. These changes strengthen and build upon the nation-leading mobile phone ban we put in place, the Safe Socials work that the Premier has been leading and the Alannah & Madeline eSmart initiative that we are rolling out in Victorian government schools. We continue to get on with the job of what we need to do.

The contrast could not be more important. While we are supporting schools that teach positive, supportive and inclusive behaviours, we know those on the other side are modelling the very opposite of this. They are giving us all a lesson in division, infighting and backstabbing. Perhaps some of those on the other side would benefit from the schoolwide positive behaviour initiative.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, both you and the Deputy Premier are very aware that question time is not an opportunity to attack the opposition.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! There is no need to reflect on the Chair in your points of order. The Deputy Premier does know that ministers statements are not an opportunity to attack the opposition.

Ben CARROLL: I was just very clearly trying to model what is good behaviour and what is poor behaviour, and that is what we are trying to do.