SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Education. What steps is her department taking to ensure that all students attend school on a regular basis? Recently, a visiting relative from the country told me that someone in our extended family (a six year old) had not attended school for any days during term 1, and I was horrified to hear that. I am concerned whether that practice is widespread and wonder what the department is doing about it.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:59): I thank the member for Fisher for his question. It is an important question. It is obviously important that our children do attend school, and I am pleased that, on any given day, about 97 per cent of students are at school or have a legitimate reason for not being at school. There are obviously reasons on occasions why students can't be at school and there are some circumstances where there are lengthy absences from school.

The department does follow those up and does work very hard with some parents when there have been traumatic incidences that have resulted in children not wanting to attend school. If the member for Fisher has some specific details about the case he mentions, I am happy to have a look at that. We work right through from contacting parents, and working with parents trying to identify what the issues are, to in fact prosecuting parents.