NUMERACY AND LITERACY

Ms FOX (Bright) (15:07): As a former teacher, I would be very interested in the answer to this question.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

Ms FOX: Don't you believe I was a teacher?

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs Redmond: It's hard to believe.

Ms FOX: It's hard to believe? Well, let me—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Bright will get back to her question.

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms FOX: I would actually like to point out that I do have a BA (First Class Honours), an MA, a Graduate Diploma in Education but, you know, if it hurts, I am sorry.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Bright, can you get on with your question?

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

Ms FOX: Don't you have a BA? I'm sorry.

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Davenport, be quiet!

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

Ms FOX: It's not the same. Have you got an honours degree?

Members interjecting:

Ms FOX: Thank you. Can the Minister for Education give the house an update on numeracy—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I cannot hear the question.

Ms FOX: —and literacy in South Australia?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Davenport, be quiet! Minister, did you hear that question? I did not hear a word of it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Attorney-General, are you going to answer the question?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: No, I am not; I was just going to—

The SPEAKER: Then what are you doing on your feet?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I was going to indicate that I did not even hear the question.

The SPEAKER: Member for Bright, can you ask your question again? I do not even know who it is for.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Be quiet.

Ms FOX: I don't think it is very nice to laugh at Adelaide University. Can the Minister for Education give the house an update on numeracy and literacy in South Australia?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Education, Minister for Early Childhood Development) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for the question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Education.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Can I point out a range of very important initiatives that have been undertaken across South Australia to lift our numeracy and literacy? Not only is there a—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —more sophisticated analysis of the data so that we know what is going on in our schools, but we now have a dedicated literacy secretariat that is working on these matters. We also have, as part of the literacy and numeracy national partnership, 49 schools that are supported by literacy and numeracy coaches. We also have a primary mathematics and science strategy for primary schools, which involves one-off grants totalling $7.8 million to schools that need identified support in relation to maths and science. We have regional directors who are engaging with individual principals with our Principals as Literacy Leaders program.

However, I must sadly report to the house that there is a crisis in literacy and numeracy in South Australia, and it exists on the opposition benches. Can I say that the media release today issued by the shadow minister for education first uses the word hypocrisy spelt with an 'i' and then included in the release—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —is some allegation against the government that we might have removed—

The SPEAKER: Point of order, the member for Adelaide.

Ms SANDERSON: I refer to rule 27: digression and personal reflections on a member.

The SPEAKER: I can't uphold that point of order because I can't hear a word that the minister is saying. There are two minutes to go. Minister.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: This is a very serious matter. We have somebody who seeks to hold the position of leading our South Australian schooling system—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —and I think it is a very important matter if he can't add up or actually spell.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Norwood, the member for Bragg and other comments I can hear from that side of the house. I am just about to call question time to a halt. I have had enough of this today. Minister, do you want to finish your answer, or shall we all go?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I think it is a very important matter when somebody is hurling allegations of hypocrisy spelt with an 'i' instead of a 'y' that they at least have the good grace to spell it accurately and at least include some numbers in the release that are factually accurate.

Mr PISONI: I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

The SPEAKER: At the end of question time, you can.

Mr PISONI: Unfortunately, I went through the education system when Labor was running it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Bragg, question time is finished, the bell has just gone. We will go onto grievances, but before we do, I will just mention to the house that word has come through that there has been another explosion in the mine in New Zealand and all hope has been lost for the trapped miners. I think we need to reflect on that and how sad that is.