address to parliament - PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS - National Student Wellbeing Program

This has been a good debate. I think all in this chamber would agree that schools and education have changed since we were there. The member for Ryan; the member for Moreton, who has just left the chamber and just spoke; and the member for Tangney would agree with that. The member for Jagajaga has probably been at school in more recent years than we four have. Indeed, school has changed a lot. I was complimenting your youth there, Member for Jagajaga. I know what a worthwhile contribution you make to this place. Since its establishment in 2006 the National School Chaplaincy Program has supported the wellbeing of students and school communities. When I and others went to school these sorts of programs and people were perhaps not in place, because they did not need to be, but life has changed.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 18:27 to 18:39

Mr McCORMACK: The program supports more than 3,000 school communities each year, and this is a good motion put forward by the member for Forde. It is calling on the government to do more. And why would that be necessary? Well, you only have to look at the statistics out of recent reviews et cetera, which show that each term chaplains run 5,711 programs supporting almost a quarter of a million students.

Particularly during COVID-19 we saw how tough it was for teachers—and we have many good teachers in this country—when their students weren't doing the face-to face learning. Chaplains undertook activities outside their normal duties as a result of the global pandemic, and the statistics speak for themselves. They provided care packages and food parcels—42 per cent of them were doing that. There was encouragement and morale boosting for school communities, with 46 per cent of them doing that. Just during COVID-19, the following percentages of chaplains noted somewhat more interaction online of 56 per cent; interaction via phone of 51 per cent; mental health issues of 68 per cent; family conflict issues of 57 per cent; school behaviour issues of 57 per cent; friendship and peer issues of 42 per cent; and bullying and harassment issues of 30 per cent. And they're addressing those challenges. The chaplains are very well-meaning people who have experience and expertise, and who are addressing those issues. But for the chaplains, that work may well not be done.

Again, I know that the total commitment to the package by this government is $203.7 million over two years. That includes a $10.8 million contribution to develop a mental health check tool, and that's important. That leaves $192.9 million to deliver mental health and wellbeing support to students. The department advises that there are around 4,046,585 primary and secondary students across the nation. My concern is that if you take away the $10.8 million which is going to be used to develop the mental health check tool then it leaves only around $47.67 per student. We have to ask what sort of wellbeing boost can be delivered for $48?

Mental health is such an important thing, it really is. As I said at the outset, schooling has changed. Contributions by teachers and, certainly, after-hours care have changed. In my day, often one parent went out and earned the income and the other parent, usually the mum, was at home when the kids got home. But, these days, many kids are latchkey kids. Again, that's why chaplains are important; they fill the gaps left by necessarily two-income families and they fill the gaps that are sometimes there because of family breakdown. There are all manner of reasons. But the National School Chaplaincy Program has played a valuable role in supporting student wellbeing in school communities in so many ways and in so many areas.

Often, the problems which are seen in metropolitan areas are exacerbated in regional areas because of remoteness and the lack of available resources and personnel. Again, I commend the member for Forde for bringing this very important motion to parliament and I note the various items he has put towards it.