Tuesday, 10 September 2019

 Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:06): My constituency question is to the Minister for Education, and it refers to accurate language definitions in our schools. Having consulted my eminent friend of 135 years, Mr Oxford, I can attest that emergency is defined as ‘a serious, unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action’. Given that the CSIRO records Australia’s climate has only warmed by 1 degree Celsius since 1910, ‘climate emergency’ clearly does not fit this Oxford definition. Notices about raging bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland would fit the emergency definition. This alarmist misuse of language should be unacceptable to the minister given the NAPLAN results. My question to the minister is: what is he doing to correct a language definition which, if misused, is clearly designed to frighten rather than educate Victorian students, especially in Western Victoria region?

The PRESIDENT: I am sorry. I know it is your birthday, Mrs McArthur, but I cannot see any way that can be a constituency question. I will give you a go at rephrasing it. I will call Mr Davis first.