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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-06-07 Daily Xml
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Upper Spencer Gulf Employment

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. How is the government supporting employment opportunities for families in the Upper Spencer Gulf region?

Mr Pengilly: We didn't see you last weekend. You weren't there.

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss has had benefit of clergy from the Speaker for too long. I warn him. Minister.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (14:32): I am very pleased to answer the question of the member for Giles, who obviously is an outstanding representative for his electorate and unfortunately was not there when I was up there on Friday. What is going on in Whyalla in particular of course is of concern to everybody in this house and in this parliament. We look with concern, but with a degree of sensible optimism and a huge amount of support for the community.

Obviously, the support for education, training and employment is absolutely crucial at this time. I had the privilege, in visiting Whyalla, of seeing various stages of that. I was able to go around Hincks Avenue Primary School, which has a fairly new principal—not new to being a principal, but new to that school—who clearly is seeing that she needs to get those kids on a trajectory of success. I also visited the two year 8 to 10 high schools, Sturt and Whyalla High, and was particularly impressed by the calibre of the students who were showing me around, who were articulate and reflective of what they have been learning and what they want to do in the future. There was a confidence and an optimism there that inspired me.

As members will be aware, we are undertaking at present a feasibility study for the future of the three high school campuses. I think it has been greeted with a lot of commitment and interest by the schools. I also had a look around TAFE and saw the excellent work that is occurring there. I was fortunate to be able to announce in Whyalla the Building Family Opportunities initiative for that area.

Mr KNOLL: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The information that the minister is now referring to was part of a release that she put out on 3 June, which is now in your inbox.

The SPEAKER: I will have a look at it and check it against the minister's answer.

Mr Knoll: $212,000 should be the operative figure.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: He is so prescient. He knows what I am to say, rather than able to hear what I have said. That is an extraordinary skill to have. I will come and chat to you before the Melbourne Cup.

As we know, one of the challenges is when a family has one or more of the earners in the family going through the challenge of either having already lost their job, having been unable to find work, or, as will be happening in Whyalla right now, the concern that they may fall out of work in their current employment. As a family is going through that challenge, we know that not only are the earners, the adults, involved in that but also the children. One of the features we have noticed is that the children of families going through that kind of difficulty will often fall out of regular attendance at school.

As members will be aware, because I have said it so many times, it is absolutely crucial that kids attend every day of school and complete school. In order not only to help the adults who are looking for work or are concerned that they might need to look for work in short order but also to make sure that we do not transmit that anxiety and potential disengagement down to the next generation, we have a program called Building Family Opportunities which engages with the whole family and is about not only assisting the adults to prepare for looking for employment and identifying any skills gaps they have but also engaging directly with the children and with their education.

I was delighted to be part of that announcement, and I look forward to hearing the very many good stories that will emerge from the work that is being undertaken by UnitingCare Wesley Country who have undertaken that contract.

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