Page 1426 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 6 April 2011
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MR BARR: Off the top of my head, no, Mr Speaker, but I will seek some information from the department in relation to that. If the member believes that more schools should be participating or there are barriers to participation, I would welcome an approach from her and we can work on that issue.
MS BRESNAN: A supplementary?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Minister, were you aware that the ACT has purchased fewer copies of the primary connections science package than the Northern Territory?
MR BARR: No. That is news to me. It may well be that we are delivering alternative curriculum programs. We may also be utilising more online resources. I will seek some advice. I do not think that the number of a particular product that you might purchase is a particularly appropriate measure of performance in science or a commitment to science education. That would appear to be a fairly silly and facile approach to assessing our performance in science. I remind the member that, in that report on all jurisdictions’ performance in science education, the ACT performed the best of all the states and territories.
ACT Corrective Services—Hamburger review
MR HANSON: My question is to the Attorney-General. Attorney-General, the Hamburger review dated 1 April 2011 into ACT Corrective Services governance found that “since commissioning of the AMC there have existed systemic problems with the governance in ACT Corrective Services that have resulted in management and supervision practices not being effective”. Attorney-General, why are there systemic problems with the governance of ACT Corrective Services?
MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Hanson for the question. Of course, the issues that Mr Hamburger raises in relation to this matter reflect the fact that, unfortunately, during the commissioning of the AMC there was a prolonged vacancy in the office of the superintendent that had to be filled initially on an acting basis. That was a factor beyond the control of the ACT government. There were personal factors affecting the presence of the superintendent in relation to those matters. The government has now acted and, as Mr Hamburger highlights, steps have now been taken to ensure that we have an experienced and senior person in the role of superintendent. I am very pleased with the work of our current superintendent, Mr Doug Buchanan. He has now been on deck for over nine months. Mr Hamburger is very complimentary of the issues and the approaches that he has adopted.
In relation to issues of governance within ACT Corrective Services, what is quite clear is that there is a need for Corrective Services to improve a range of its processes and data collection and reporting methodologies. That was the issue, of course, that was highlighted in the report that I commissioned following the incorrect advice that was given to me and the government in relation to urinalysis on admission to the AMC. Mr Hamburger made a range of recommendations to deal with those issues and, as members would now be aware, I have tasked a task force to action and to
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