Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to speak on this motion and I congratulate the member for Bass for bringing this private member's motion forward. I also acknowledge the passion that the member for Lalor has for education in this place. The member for Bass knows the importance of education. He knows the importance of education to our economy and the importance of education to our society more broadly. He also understands the importance of education to the families and particularly the individuals concerned and the empowering nature of education. He knows many factors impact on students getting a quality education. These include many and varied things such as the autonomy within schools of the principal to make decisions at a local level and not be dictated to by the department, as the case might be.

It is also about parental engagement. It is about having parents who are actively involved in the way that the school is run. This has been demonstrated to be an important component. We have talked a little bit about the curriculum and, indeed, the review that was conducted. The work that has been done in that space is important, but the most important factor of all is teacher quality. I think all of us instinctively know this, but the data supports it. High-quality teacher education is a feature of top-performing systems globally. It is a key pillar of our Students First policy.

We all can speak from personal experience. I think of the teachers who have been in my life and I still remember the points that they made. I think of Ted Roberts, Caroline Sangston, Fran Morris and Chris Peat. I think of the great teachers who have left a mark and continue to leave a mark on my two boys. I think of Selwyn Church, Mark Webster, Robyn Russell, Nick Clements, John Badenhagen, Scott Watson and Helen Swiggs. Within the electorate of Lyons I have discussed the experience and passion educationalists have for their vocation. Their skills should be recognised. I think of Andy Bennett from Dodges Ferry, Di Guilbert from Evandale, Annette Hollingsworth formerly of Cressy, Robyn Story from Jordan River Services, Phil Wells from Glenora, Ted Barrance from Tasman District School, Lisa Neubecker from Bicheno, Jenny Bryan from Longford, Lee Craw from Perth, Roseanne McDade from Sorell, Jeanagh Viney from Deloraine, Maree Pinnington from Exeter, Sharon Gee from Avoca and Annette Parker from Triabunna. I apologise to those that I missed.

The 2015-16 budget has $16.9 million over the forward estimates to respond to the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group report to establish stronger accreditation processes for teacher education courses, a rigorous selection process to assist in determining applicants' suitability for teaching, an assessment framework to ensure all teacher education graduates are classroom-ready and a national research program into the effectiveness of initial teacher education and workforce data. The minister has delivered a timely and decisive response to provide an opportunity to make a real difference to teacher training.

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, AITSL, is pivotal in implementing the government's response to the report. The AITSL board's profile has shifted from a representative structure to an expert based board. Seven members have extensive classroom teaching experience and two are currently still working in schools. It is a positive move by Minister Pyne, delivering the right mix of academic and practical skills needed in the classroom. Lessons and outcomes from the advisory group report, Action now: classroom ready teachers, and the subsequent government response are targeted at the identified need to ensure all initial teacher education programs and providers strengthen quality standards to better equip new teachers for a role as important as any in our communities—indeed, the education of our children. Tasmanian high schools, from year 10 to year 12, will need the tools to support the teachers as year 12 becomes the norm rather than the exception. Indeed, we need principal autonomy, parental engagement and a robust curriculum, but most important is teacher quality.

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