Our Lady of the River School

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:30): I rise as a matter of interest to place on the public record my appreciation, and also to state how impressed I was recently, when on a regular visit to the River Murray Riverland region I was privileged to be able to inspect and spend some time at Our Lady of the River Catholic School at Berri. First and foremost, I commend the principal, Ms Ros Oates, and the staff for their absolute commitment to positive education outcomes for the students. I want to congratulate the students not only on their capacity with music and the general curriculum but also on the way they are a very community-minded and strongly-spirited school that is focused on good outcomes for all the students in that school.

Last year, 2016, celebrated 80 years of Catholic education at Berri with our Lady of the River School, which is a reception to year 7 school. It is located centrally in the Riverland, overlooking the River Murray, and has quite a rural space, great opportunities, resources and modern learning environments for teachers and students. There is a personal atmosphere, and caregivers know the door is always open so that parents and caregivers are encouraged to integrate directly with teachers, staff and the students, where appropriate, in a rounded education, including a very strong focus on sport.

The school is also seen as a public space, and it invites and is willing to share its resources with the community. It has a diverse range of family cultures and caregiver engagement and participation, which is vital in understanding and valuing the Catholic values and traditions, as well as other traditions of families in the local community.

The enrolments, I am pleased to say, at this school are growing, and I can see why they are growing. I visit a lot of schools, and have done for the 20-plus years that I have be in this parliament, and this particular school is an absolute shining beacon when it comes to the focus it has on the education and development of our young people. It also has accommodation for a community play group, breakfast programs and after-school workshops for the children.

I commend in particular the principal. I have known Ms Oates for a very long time. She has been a dedicated educator ever since she graduated with her degree. She is not only focused on the best outcomes for the children in the Catholic school at which she is principal, but she is also heavily involved in the National Catholic School Education Principals Organisation, which is focused on improving Catholic education throughout Australia. Her husband is also a dedicated police officer in the Riverland, and I commend him for the good work that he has done for a very long period of time right across South Australia in policing.

Importantly, I wanted to hear what was happening with respect to the impacts that were alleged, arguably very true impacts, on Catholic education as against other independent and state schools when it came to Gonski 2.0.

I was given some very good briefing papers while I was up at Berri to better understand the situation regarding what is a negative impact on Catholic schools, they are saying, compared with improvements to other independent and state schools. I know at the moment that the federal government are conducting a review of funding arrangements for Catholic education, and I will watch that very closely.

I also received a paper when I visited the school. It was interesting to read that, of the six states and two territories, according to this document, we rate eighth out of eight when you look at the comparisons around funding per student in Australian non-government schools in 2012-13. In fact, independent schools in South Australia get $1,605 per head; Catholic, $1,988; and non-government, $1,804. That is against a national average of independent, $2,138; Catholic, $2,542; and non-government, $2,378. It shows that there is an injustice here in South Australia, and this is something that we will need to continue to look at into the future.