Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night the parliament passed legislation enabling the continuation of federal funding of the school chaplaincy program. The legislation was required in response to the High Court decision last Wednesday that the existing funding process was invalid because it had not been authorised by legislation.

The school chaplaincy program provides support to more than 3,500 schools, both government and non-government, across Australia. I have supported the program from its inception, and I have argued for the continuation of it since being elected to federal parliament. Thirty schools in my electorate of Makin participate in the National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program. I have met many of the chaplains and welfare officers, I have spoken with school principals and parents about them and I have seen the work of the chaplains and welfare workers with the students. They serve a very valuable role in school life for teachers and parents.

For students, growing up in today's world can be extremely traumatic and stressful. Peer pressure, parental expectations, bullying, studies, social life and even drugs can result in severe emotional stress. Particularly where both parents work, much of the burden of guiding students through these difficult times falls upon teachers. To their credit, teachers respond magnificently, but it should not be a teacher's responsibility. Their priority should be to teach, albeit today most teachers have assumed many responsibilities that traditionally fell upon parents. School chaplains and welfare workers take much of the burden off teachers and in turn allow teachers to do what they do best.

Access to a neutral person who will listen to their needs without being judgmental provides students with someone they can turn to during difficult times in their lives. Not all young people feel comfortable talking to their parents or their teachers about personal problems. School chaplains and school welfare workers fulfil this role, and in today's world it is a role that is vitally needed.

I welcome the government funding of the program, and I particularly commend the government for acting swiftly to restore the funding following the High Court decision. The government recently provided funding so that an additional 1,000 schools across Australia can benefit from the National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program. Six of those schools are in my electorate of Makin: Banksia Park Primary School, Golden Grove High School, Keller Road Primary School, Madison Park Primary School, Our Lady of Hope Catholic School and Para Hills West Primary School. I know that they will all benefit from the program, and I know that they will all be relieved that the funding has been restored.