Australian Education Union Bullying

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:13): Supplementary, sir.

The SPEAKER: We will see.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Will the minister make investigations as to whether any of the accusations are against staff of the education department or people who remain on staff of the education department if potentially on secondment, and, if so, will the Department for Education investigate and take action?

The SPEAKER: That is a separate question—maybe a separate two questions. The Minister for Education.

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills) (14:14): I thank the member for Morialta for his question. I have already had some discussions with my own staff based on that article and the accusations that are made within it. I am happy to make further investigations specifically around I think the nub of the question that the member for Morialta asked, which is: are any of those staff involved in the allegations of bullying at the AEU employees of the education department and, therefore, if those allegations are substantiated and if they do turn out to be employees of the education department, whether or not the department needs to take any action?