DOOLEY, MR A.

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister inform the house about the significant contribution made by Allan Dooley, the outgoing presiding member of the SACE Board, to the South Australian education system?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:42): I am very happy to answer this question and I thank the member for Reynell for the question, because I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the significant contribution made by Mr Allan Dooley, the outgoing presiding member of the SACE Board of South Australia. His service not only to the development of the SACE but to education in South Australia and nationally has been of enormous value. I think everyone in this place would agree that the hallmark of Mr Dooley's service has always been a commitment to policies and practices that support excellence and equity across all of our sectors.

In addition to his work at the SACE Board and throughout his working life, Allan has been a very vocal advocate on behalf of, in particular, children who are particularly vulnerable. He worked with the office of the then minister for education—I believe that was Dr Jane Lomax-Smith—to ensure the 2004 amendments to the Children's Protection Act 1993 met the needs of the schooling sectors.

He also jointly convened the first intersectoral education directors' briefing on suicide prevention and, in 2007, established the South Australian Youth Welfare Advisory Committee—an interagency group that includes representatives from mental health, police and education. He was and no doubt continues to be a distinguished, compassionate and effective leader of Catholic education here in South Australia, and he has consistently been held in the highest regard and respected by educators and others in the sector.

Of course, he has been pivotal in helping to navigate the SACE through a time of significant change and reform. He was a member of the original SACE review reference group which led to the new SACE and he was a founding member of the SACE Review Implementation Steering Committee. He has been presiding member of the SACE Board since July 2009. Mr Dooley is stepping down as presiding member of the SACE Board for very personal reasons, and I wish him all the very best in meeting those particular challenges.

The Deputy Presiding Member, Ms Jane Danvers (the principal of Wilderness School) has agreed to take on the role of Presiding Member of the SACE Board until a permanent appointment is made. I thank her and all members of the SACE Board for the support they have given Mr Dooley during his period of leadership. I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of everyone in this place to acknowledge his contribution to the Catholic sector, as well as his time as Chair of the SACE Board and, in particular, for his work supporting our most vulnerable children. I wish him all the very, very best with his future.

The SPEAKER: The member for Norwood.