Education Policies

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Education and Child Development a question in relation to school policy documents.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD:The Advertiser has reported that school principals are claiming they are struggling to comprehend or even access the hundreds of policies and guidelines that they are required to enforce in their schools. It was reported that the documents covering all aspects of the work they do at schools, including the department documents, have been culled from something like 1,600 to somewhere in the vicinity of 790 documents.

The South Australian Secondary Principals' Association President, Jan Peterson, said that the number of policies that the department had amassed was 'absurd' and he wants to see 'a cutback of red tape as opposed to proper accountability'. What is the role of the executives in relation to deciding upon and/or improving policies and guidelines and does the minister feel that there are simply too many in place, as does the Secondary Principals' Association? Secondly, what steps is the government taking to ensure that appropriate policies are easily accessible, user friendly, not over-cumbersome and simply not too many in number?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:51): I thank the member for his important questions. I will refer them to the relevant minister in another place and bring back a response.

The PRESIDENT: The honourable and gallant Mr McLachlan.