Wednesday, 1 April 2026

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (09:37): I move:

That I introduce a bill for an act to amend the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 to strengthen Aboriginal recognition and self-determination across the early childhood education, school education, vocational education and training and adult, community and further education system, to require schools to develop policies to restrict student use of personal electronic devices during school hours and to improve the operation of that act and to amend the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 to make a statute law revision amendment and for other purposes.

Motion agreed to.

 Brad ROWSWELL (Sandringham) (09:37): I seek a brief explanation of the bill.

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (09:37): Essentially, the bill does four things: it strengthens Aboriginal recognition and self-determination across the education system, it bans the use of personal electronic devices across all schools, it improves the teacher registration framework administered by the Victorian Institute of Teaching and it expands the Victorian student register and makes minor and technical amendments as well.

Read first time.

Ordered to be read second time tomorrow.