House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time South Australian Certificate of Education SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION Mr PISONI House of Assembly Unley SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Why is the new SACE in conflict with the national curriculum? South Australia signed up to the declaration of the national curriculum in 2008, which stated: The curriculum will enable students to develop knowledge in the disciplines of English, mathematics, science, languages, humanities and the arts... However, under the new SACE, high school submissions to the SACE evaluation point to a dramatic reduction in the number of schools offering and students studying languages and humanities subjects. The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. I did not take a point of order earlier, but the question contains an argument: it contains the argument that these things are in conflict. That is a point of view, an assertion, and it should not be in the question; it is disorderly and invites debate. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Thank you, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. I listened very carefully to the member's explanation because I felt there was a conflict in that question. I would ask you to be very careful in the wording of your questions from now on—you have made an assumption there. Does the minister choose to answer the question? 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) (14:39): Yes; I am very happy to answer this important question. The two are not mutually exclusive. The Australian curriculum is not mutually exclusive in relation to the SACE. The Australian curriculum, in fact, has been designed—and we support the national curriculum—to allow flexibility and adaptability for each state's individual certificate of education. Down the track, one day, the states and the commonwealth might agree on a national certification system, but the two are not in conflict.