Page 3616 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
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The budget continues the reform of the teaching profession set out in the recent enterprise bargaining round. The new agreement supports the ACT government’s commitment to ensure that the ACT has the highest quality teachers, with an overall increase of more than 15 per cent over the life of the agreement. The agreement is a significant investment in education that values the professional status of teachers and principals in ACT public schools.
The government remains committed to ensuring that there are the necessary resources to assist special needs students to get the best possible start in life. On the recommendation of the Non-Government Schools Education Council, this budget provides a funding boost of $2 million to support students with a disability in non-government schools; $1.54 million has also been allocated to assist in meeting increased costs of providing transport for students with a disability who attend ACT public schools.
The budget provides $400,000 over four years to support the increased number of students completing the ACT scaling test, which measures individual aptitude for tertiary study and is integral to determining university entrance scores.
The ACT outperforms other states and territories in the areas of vocational education and training. This budget invests an additional $3.2 million over four years in CIT’s year 12 program, strengthening links between secondary and vocational education and providing additional support for CIT students with disabilities. In addition, $28 million has already been secured from the Australian government for skills training that will create an additional 4,000 vocational education and training opportunities over the next five years.
Canberra’s tertiary education institutions are some of the best in Australia. We will continue to work cooperatively with the tertiary sector and seek partnership opportunities. We will continue to leverage our educational strength and ensure that innovation, research and development remain at the forefront of our community. The initiatives contained in this budget will ensure the ACT has a well-educated and highly skilled population capable of meeting the challenges of the future.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
Proposed expenditure—Part 1.17—ACT Gambling and Racing Commission—$4,408,000 (net cost of outputs), totalling $4,408,000.
MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Leader, ACT Greens) (3.31): I thank the staff at the commission. They have continued to do a good job again this year, headed up by Greg Jones. Of course I am pleased to see the fund that was set up to assist people with problem gambling issues and also that funding of some world-class research over at the ANU is continuing. That is something I am very pleased we were able to do during this Assembly.
I am pleased to see some improvements in the accountability indicators that relate to the functions and activities of the commission and to hear progress regarding the two
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