Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for Senator Watt, representing the Minister for Education. Teach For Australia is one of two programs under the High Achieving Teachers Program funded by the Australian government to place high-quality teachers in disadvantaged schools facing workforce shortages. An evaluation of the Teach For Australia program in 2017 found that participants became high-quality teachers and delivered the skills schools needed, and a majority stayed teaching at the schools for two years after their placement. Teach For Australia is currently funded in small blocks. I reckon a program like this would benefit from more certainty. Does the government support longer term funding periods for Teach for Australia and similar programs?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Tyrrell. I particularly want to thank you on behalf of my family, most of whom are teachers or have been teachers.

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And yet you know nothing.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Are you questioning something, Senator Hughes? I think we all understand the incredibly valuable role that teachers play in our community, educating younger people in school environments and preparing them for the future. I'm happy to seek some advice on the specific question about the Teach for Australia program and the government's intentions for that.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson! Minister Watt, please resume your seat.

Senator Henderson, just cut the running dialogue.

Senator Henderson, you're not in a debate with me. I've asked you to be silent. That is what I expect. Minister Watt, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They don't like being over there, President, so I understand they're being a bit tetchy.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cash! I have a minister on her feet.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, on a point of order: Senator Henderson has been unable to stop interjecting for most of question time. You asked her not to. The minister stood and she immediately started again. I really would ask her: could we at least have a few seconds between interjections?

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, in my defence, Senator Watt actually interjected in the last—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson, please resume your seat. That is not a point of order. I do remind senators, as you are all well aware, if you make an interjection, the minister is well within his or her rights to respond to it. If you don't want to be called out, keep silent. Minister Watt, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, Senator Tyrrell, I will seek some further information for you from Minister Clare about the specific program you're referring to. But I might just quickly take the opportunity to give you some further information about the work the government is doing in relation to the teacher workforce generally. We acknowledge there is a teacher shortage in Australia, and it is 10 years in the making. Too few people have been becoming teachers and too many have been leaving. In December 2022, education ministers agreed to the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, which sets out a clear pathway to address teacher workforce shortages. For the first time, the Commonwealth, state and territory governments are working together to tackle this issue. It's a novel concept, I understand, for people opposite—working together with state and territory governments—but, as a result of that, we have 27 actions in train across five priority areas: improving teacher supply, strengthening initial teacher education, keeping the teachers we have, elevating the profession and better understanding future teacher workforce needs. There's no doubt whatsoever that we need to invest in the teaching workforce. All research indicates that the best thing you can do for kids' education is invest in their teachers, and that's what we'll keep doing. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, a first supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If this program is meeting the Australian government's objective to provide high-quality education in disadvantaged areas, would the Albanese government support long-term funding—say, five-year blocks—for programs like Teach for Australia to provide teachers with more support in their employment and reassure communities of their amazing teachers?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's a great question. Minister Clare's office should text you the answer.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't need help, Senator McKenzie. I'm quite okay, thanks. I'm quite okay. I definitely don't need any colour-coded spreadsheets with advice to me, Senator McKenzie. I don't need that.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, I am going to remind you to address your comments to the chair.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, again, I've already said to Senator Tyrrell that, if I have any further information to provide about that specific program, I will do so. But, again, to give an indication of some of the things that we are doing, we've awarded the first round of Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships to around 1,000 first-year teacher education students across the country. Scholarship recipients receive up to $10,000 a year while they are studying and then commit to teach for a period of time after they graduate. Under the $30 million Workload Reduction Fund, we're piloting new approaches to take pressure off teachers and school leaders, such as employing more support staff to undertake administrative tasks. Minister Clare will soon be announcing the outcomes of the latest High Achieving Teachers Program grant round. Over the next three years, this program will support 1,500 people to become teachers through employment based pathways. I think that may actually be the program you're talking about under a different name. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, a second supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has pretty much answered all the questions I have. So, thank you, Minister Watt. I appreciate your time. I'm bowing out.