Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I speak in support of the motion of the member for Lyons, and in doing so I acknowledge the fact that if you have not acquired good, strong reading and writing skills it can affect you throughout your life. In a previous life I worked with people who injured themselves at work, and, once they had injured themselves at work, if they did not have the ability to read and write effectively or did not have good numeracy, it impacted on their ability to find work in the future.

This government has as a priority investing in education, and one of its highest priorities has been to improve national numeracy and literacy. Every Australian has access to a world-class education to reach their potential. The government has invested over $65 billion in schools over four years—double what the coalition government spent in their last term.

Mr Deputy Speaker Oakeshott, I am sure you would be aware of the impact that the extra money has had on schools in your electorate. Under the Smarter Schools National Partnerships program there is $2.5 billion in three smarter schools national partnerships. There is also the Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership, which has really benefited those students in Shortland electorate who are disadvantaged in one way or another.

It is only right that I share with the House just how many schools in Shortland electorate have benefited from the government's programs. They are: St Brendan's Catholic school at Lake Munmorah; St Pius X Primary School at Windale, which has the lowest SES of any school in New South Wales; Gorokan Public School; Gwandalan Public School; Lake Munmorah Public School; Mannering Park Public School; Windale Public School; Gateshead Public School; Gateshead West Public School; Northlakes High School; and Northlakes Public School. All these schools have a significant level of disadvantage and students who struggle with literacy and numeracy, and all these schools have benefited from the government's extra investment in literacy and numeracy. This government is about ensuring that all students have the opportunity to have a good start in life. I would like to refer to the other important aspect of this motion, and that is about making 2012 a year of reading. It was, I believe, in February that the Prime Minister announced a program to encourage children and parents to read together. That is probably one of the greatest things that a parent can give a child in their education—sitting down, reading with them, teaching them the value of reading and teaching them how important it is to spend that time together. It is actually a bonding time. We all know that children's brains develop more rapidly in the earlier years. It is widely recognised that sharing books really helps children with their literacy skills when they go to school. This is a great program that is benefiting students throughout Australia.

In addition to the programs that I have already mentioned, the National School Chaplaincy Program, a student welfare program that has been extended by this government, gives support to children and helps them. There have been a number of schools in the Shortland electorate that have benefited—Belmont Christian College, Belmont High School, Gorokan High, Kahibah Public School, Northlakes High, Whitebridge High, Belmont North Public School, Budgewoi Public School, Gorokan Public School, Swansea High School and Warners Bay High School. This is support for children to help them improve their literacy and numeracy abilities.

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