School Principals

Mr ELLIS (Narungga) (14:42): That's very kind; thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Education. Are members of the selection panel choosing principals for schools with vacant positions provided with disciplinary records of aspirant candidates? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr ELLIS: I have been told by members of my community that some members of the selection panel choosing a principal for a recent vacancy were not aware of a multitude of allegations from previous positions.

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Minister for Police) (14:42): I thank the member for Narungga for his question. I understand the particular matter to which he is referring, I think.

As members of this place would know, the Minister for Education does not get involved in the selection of principals or sit on the selection panels that are put in place by the People and Culture Division of the Department for Education. There is a set way they are to operate in terms of membership, in terms of information they are to take into account. I am happy to make inquiries in terms of this specific case, about whether or not any previous disciplinary proceedings (as I think the member for Narungga put it), should they exist, were taken into account.

I will also say that these are difficult situations, and in this case—and I imagine the member is referring to Wallaroo Mines—we are now in a position where we need to find another principal. I am sure the community at Wallaroo are very keen for us to find a high-quality candidate, so I ask the member for his support in doing everything he can to make sure that what I know is a fantastic school is seen as a wonderful option and future career for someone who might put up their hand to do that. In the meantime, I will speak to the chief executive and I will seek his advice on what information is routinely taken into account when a selection process like this is undertaken, and I am happy to come back to the member with any information the chief executive can provide me.