Deborah O'Neill (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am sure the minister’s wise words have been very edifying. On 8 December 2010 all Australian education ministers agreed to endorse Australia’s first national curriculum and endorsed the curriculum implementation time line that the Australian curriculum in English, mathematics, history and science be substantially implemented by the end of 2013. All schools—both government and non-government—will, therefore, have in place our first Australian curriculum from foundation to year 10 in these subjects by that time.

I have been assured by the minister that the government has a process in place for resolving this issue in consultation with the sector as appropriate. A careful and respectful consultation is a far superior method to that advocated by those opposite. This rushed amendment by the opposition will not deliver anything but alarm and division. The government has no intention of treating government and non-government schools differently in relation to implementation of the Australian curriculum. We will work constructively with the non-government sector schools to implement a sustainable solution.

There was never an intention or an expectation that this matter would be dealt with as part of this bill, and neither the member for Sturt nor the non-government school sector have raised it with the minister. The only place this issue was raised was in a release by Christian Schools Australia—which, when contacted, agreed that they were happy with the government’s current process and issued a revised statement.

The amendment proposed by the member for Sturt is ambiguous and would result in unreasonable uncertainty for non-government schools, as the schools’ required implementation date will be dependent on the progress of each state and territory. The amendment could require the minister to change the implementation date for the non-government sector irrespective of the time lines agreed by the ministerial council—and that is completely unsatisfactory.

If one state or territory government is dragging its heels in meeting the deadlines set by the ministerial council to implement the curriculum, this could then jeopardise the implementation in all non-government schools across Australia. How careless, how foolish and how short-sighted. This amendment will not give our schools the certainty they need. I commend the bill to the House without amendment.

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