School Chaplains

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:44): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Treasurer a question regarding school chaplaincy programs.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: The main question the High Court has examined and ruled on today with respect to the chaplaincy funding has been exactly how that funding is put in place, and whether or not the executive government has the power to fund such programs directly. This was not a decision on religion or the value of chaplains, but merely how they are funded. To be clear, there is nothing unconstitutional about chaplains in the schools at all—this is made clear in the judgment.

The national body for school chaplains has said that it believes the program will survive, and to their credit both the federal Liberal and Labor parties have determined to work together in order to resolve this situation. My question to the minister is: since the federal Labor Party has committed to ensure school chaplaincy continues undaunted, and given that two attempts to fund it have been thwarted by the High Court, will state Labor also work with the federal Coalition government and their federal Labor colleagues to establish a constitutional state-based funding measure for the chaplaincy program?

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) (14:46): I thank the honourable member for his question and will refer it to the Treasurer or appropriate minister in another place and bring back a response.