ADDRES TO PARLIAMENT - STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS - Literacy and Numeracy

During the winter recess of parliament I took the opportunity to attend many schools, where I handed out certificates for my 14th annual Anzac Day writing competition. I was so impressed with the more than 1,100 entries that I received—not just the quantity but, indeed, the quality. Anybody who rubbishes our children these days and says that they're not up to speed with what we were and how we were all those years ago probably hasn't visited a school in recent times.

Alarmingly, today the National Assessment Program–Literacy and Numeracy results became apparent. The NAPLAN results reveal that one in three students are not meeting basic literacy and numeracy expectations. I don't quote the Grattan Institute very often, but its Education Program Director, Dr Jordana Hunter, said:

In plain English, one third of Australia's children are not on track with their learning.

…   …   …

It's almost half a million students around the country that are not where we need them to be.

That is disturbing. When you consider, in particular, that one-third of Indigenous students were categorised as 'need additional support'—three times the national average—you start to get really worried. Yet we spent $450 million last year on the unnecessary Voice referendum, and here we have a failure of this government to protect our most vulnerable Aboriginal students and others.