Aboriginal Teachers

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (15:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation a question regarding Aboriginal teachers in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: On 10 November, it was reported in The Advertiser that South Australia is suffering from a chronic shortage of Aboriginal teachers, who comprise a mere 0.8 per cent of the teaching workforce and just 0.5 per cent of school principals and other types of school leaders. This has caused Mark Tranthim-Fryer, project manager of the University of South Australia-led More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teacher Initiative, to comment that this shortage will negatively impact the aspirations of Aboriginal children to undertake further study, whether that be in teaching or in other professions. This has also prompted the Adelaide University's Dean of Indigenous Education, Professor Rigney, to call for more incentives from the education department and a far more coherent plan in order to tackle this alarming problem.

1. Can the minister please inform the house why initiatives such as the Teacher Education Taskforce have failed to attract and retain Aboriginal people into the teaching profession?

2. Is the government contemplating any other policy initiatives, such as those suggested by Professor Rigney?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:21): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. Unfortunately, the portfolio responsibility for that question lies with the Minister for Education and Child Development in the other place. I undertake to take the question to that minister and seek a response on his behalf.