Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I would make the point that I made in an earlier response to the senator's inquiries. You cannot see everything through the prism of the income management measure in SEAM. As part of the measures adopted by the government there are an extra 200 teachers going into the schools. Part of the requirements for those teachers is training in issues such as identification of hearing loss and how to manage teaching in those circumstances. It has nothing to do with income management. It is part of a broader approach to try to address the educational needs of those children in the Northern Territory. So yes, we have health checks. But we also have 200 extra teachers going into the schools who will actually be required as part of that, as I understand it, to have training in dealing with kids with hearing loss and other special needs as part of the broader response, not linked to income management under SEAM but part of the broader approach. As I indicated, SEAM and management are a small part of a much broader activity and investment.