House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Teacher Employment Email TEACHER EMPLOYMENT EMAIL Mr PISONI House of Assembly Unley TEACHER EMPLOYMENT EMAIL Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:40): My question is for the Minister for Education and Child Development. How many student and contract teachers have been advised in writing that they are shortlisted for a permanent teaching position within a government school, only to be told the next day it was a mistake and that they have not been shortlisted? The opposition has been advised that student and contract teachers have been receiving emails that read, and I quote: You have been shortlisted for the position...We recommend that you advise your referees and that the panel will be contacting them. The following day the applicant receives another email advising them that the first email was sent in error and they were not shortlisted. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly Hartley Minister for Education and Child Development The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:41): I do thank the member for this question. I am familiar with the material in the question because I believe the member for Unley wrote to me about this matter. Did you receive a letter from me? Mr Pisoni House of Assembly Mr Pisoni: I didn't write to you about this. The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I am certain I received a briefing about this matter. I do not seek to speak about the specifics of this particular situation. I think that is unfair to the officer in question. Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: Point of order: the minister says that I wrote to her about this issue; I didn't write to her about this issue. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: That's not a point of order, member for Unley. Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: And this is widespread; it is not one person. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! She said she thought you had. That was not a point of order. You can do a personal explanation afterwards if you feel you need to. Minister. The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Actually, I think the document to which I am referring—I saw it late one night in my bag—is, in fact, a document that the member for Unley had written to an officer in my department, and it may be a briefing that I am referring to. In any case— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —I am familiar with the matter to which he refers and there is a perfectly rational explanation for it. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: Can we please have the explanation, minister? If it is so simple, can we have it? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! As I don't have the same knowledge that the minister does, I am not going to ask her to respond—if she's answered in the manner she chooses. Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: Can I ask a supplementary question, if I may? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: A minister can answer a question in any way that they choose. We may completely embarrass someone. Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: May I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Supplementary.