Educational Outcomes

The Hon. S.L. GAME (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, representing the Minister for Education, concerning educational outcomes.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.L. GAME: The Productivity Commission's inquiry last year, entitled 'Positioning all South Australians to share in the Benefits of Economic Growth', found that we are failing our young people in their transition from school to work or study. The report concluded that South Australia does a much worse job than the national average at giving our young people the skills and support they need to successfully transition out of school into work or education.

One of the report's findings was the huge disparity in educational outcomes for children, depending on where they live. According to the report, a child growing up in Walkerville is more than seven times as likely to attend university than a child growing up in Berri or Morphett Vale West. Further, a young person growing up in Elizabeth is almost nine times as likely to not be engaged in study or work as someone who grew up in Burnside. My questions to the Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, representing the Minister for Education, are:

1. What is the government doing in the next 12 months to level the playing field for young people in poorer socio-economic regions of the state so that they have the same opportunities as other young people in South Australia?

2. Given that South Australia has the highest rate for people aged 21 to 24 not in employment, not in education and not in training, what will the government do to improve productivity among the state's young people?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:46): I am happy to take that question on notice and redirect it to the minister in the other place. I am mindful that the minister has worked tirelessly in the area of investing more in TAFE and finding ways to have people engaged through the education system, but I am happy to take that question on notice and direct it to him.