Sharon Grierson (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I would like to express my condolences to the families of the victims at the Pike River coalmine disaster in New Zealand and to the New Zealand people, from one mining community to another. We feel their pain.

I rise to acknowledge the contribution of teachers in my electorate to the education of young Australians. Teachers are the best resource our education system has and we do need to ensure that we continue to invest in human capital in the education sector and recognise the achievements of our teachers.

This morning, Jason Fairweather, Yvette McShane and Andrew Johnson, all from Callaghan College campuses in my electorate, were awarded New South Wales Quality Teaching Awards for their commitment to their students and their teaching expertise. Also, Trudy Lawson received the 2010 National Excellence in Teaching ASG Inspirational Teaching State Award. These awards build on the tradition of excellence in teaching in Newcastle that has been repeatedly recognised in the past. Each year for the past three years, Callaghan College has received three of the New South Wales Quality Teaching Awards—that is, apparently, almost a quarter of the 13 Quality Teaching Awards presented each year. Carolyn Hayden, the head teacher of science at Lambton High School, was in 2008 awarded a National Award for Quality Schooling Excellence by a Teacher.

As the member for Newcastle I am proud that the teachers of our region are being recognised for their excellence in the education of our children. Teachers play a vital role in the socialisation and development of young people, and I would like to thank them for their commitment to their students. It was Aristotle who said that ‘teaching is the highest form of understanding’, and I know that, for many of the teachers in Newcastle, this is true.

As a former teacher and principal I understand also that teaching is a partnership between students, parents, teachers and the broader school community. It is a partnership between all stakeholders in the education sector, and it is vital that we foster a positive culture of support for our teachers, from the school community and from government, so that as our children climb the ladder of opportunity each step is supported by quality teaching.

Ben Jensen, from the Grattan Institute, in his Investing in our teachers, investing in our economy report demonstrates that investing in teacher quality is both the most valuable reform for improving school education and the most profitable investment as it increases productivity and long-term economic growth. A 10 percent increase in teacher effectiveness, the report found, would lift Australia’s students to among the best in the world and add $90 billion to the Australian economy by 2050. According to the latest OECD rankings, Australia ranks eighth, significantly behind, I am afraid, Finland, Hong Kong-China and Canada, the top-performing nations. We need to continue to invest in and support our teachers and our education system from pre-school to primary school and through to high school, university and technical college.

I also wish to inform the House that, on 3 December, I will be very proud to launch three new research institutes at the University of Newcastle that will foster excellence in research and teaching. The Educational Research Institute, the Humanities Research Institute and the Research Institute for Social Inclusion and Wellbeing will concentrate research and expertise within the institutes in order to facilitate greater rigour in research and implement the university’s commitment to research in the humanities, education and social science.

Over the past two months in my electorate we have seen 36 ARC grants, 20 National Health and Medical Research Council grants and three Future Fellowships at the University of Newcastle. This recent investment in research totals more than $25 million, and brings the federal Labor government’s investment in research in my electorate to $130 million.

I would like to take the last minute I have to wish my electorate a very safe and happy Christmas period. May the holiday season be for them a time of celebration and joy. May their families enjoy each other’s company and may they take that well-earned rest. We are a very busy city. I would also like to say to my staff that they have done a wonderful job. It has been a trying and difficult year and, to each of them, I thank them so much for their commitment to the people of Newcastle and their support for me in the important job that we do. I also thank my electorate for the wonderful friendships and the wonderful relationship they have with me and my office. I know that is always based on the best interests of the people of Newcastle and the City of Newcastle, which has a great future, one that I am very proud to be part of assisting in the realisation of that potential. Thank you.