1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: Now. As we've been mentioning some parents, no doubt, pretty 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: happy this morning. Others may be feeling a little bit 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: apprehensive as thousands of territory students go back to school today, 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: and the Minister for Education, Joe Hersey, joins me on 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: the line live from Catherine this morning. Good morning to you, Joe. 6 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: I seem to have lost Joe for some reason there. 7 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: Let me make sure I've got a good morning Joe. 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 2: Good morning, Katie, good morning listen. 9 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: Hey, great to have you on the show. A big 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: morning for our Northern Territory schools today. How many kids 11 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,639 Speaker 1: they're heading back into the classroom, Ah, there. 12 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 2: Is a huge amount right across the territory. But he's 13 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: a very wet morning here in Katherine. And it was 14 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: great to be at the Catherine High School talking to 15 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 2: all those young kids at first day of high school. 16 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 2: They're all nervous and a little bit anxious about not 17 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: knowing where they're going to go. And yeah, it was 18 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 2: great to see them all in their uniform and they 19 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: did sing me the national answers did They did a 20 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: little bit of work, but it was so good to hear. 21 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: They still need to they need to hear it need 22 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 1: to hear Do they need to hear that second verse 23 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 1: a little bit more often? 24 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: Joe? I think they they just need a little bit 25 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: more practice, all right, Well, no doubt. 26 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: It would have been plenty of fun and so many 27 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: kids very excited to get back to school, some of 28 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: them a bit apprehensive, I'm sure, as you said, you know, 29 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: going into high school for the first time, or even 30 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: going into primary school for the first time. Pretty wet 31 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: here in Darwin too. Now in terms of you know, 32 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 1: in terms of teachers, I know that it was orientation 33 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: for the territories and newest teachers recently, are they still 34 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: positions vacant or have the majority of those roles been filled? 35 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: So for the very you know, it has been a 36 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: very long time since we have seen so few vacancy vacancies. 37 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 2: We have fifty five vacancies, yeah, which is the lowest 38 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: ever of across the territory, and you know they are 39 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: out there teaching those I think there's about thirty odd 40 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: thousand kids across our one hundred and fifty three government schools. 41 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 2: So it's such a great it's a great time for 42 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 2: the department, but also it's fantastic as the Minister to 43 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: only have fifty five vacancies across the whole of the territory. 44 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: There is a teacher in front of every classroom. 45 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: Now, why do you reckon that is? Why do you 46 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: reckon that? It's been more you know, you've had that 47 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: ability to fill those positions this year. 48 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you know, not only our our teachers 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 2: remunerated extremely well, in fact the best in Australia. But 50 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 2: it's you know, it just goes back to a change 51 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 2: of government. I think we've seen things across the territory change. 52 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: There's been crime reduction. I've spoken to many teachers across 53 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: the territory, whether it be in induction meetings that they've 54 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: had him down, or when I called Himo Adelaide River 55 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 2: on the way back yesterday coming home, or hearing Catherine. 56 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 2: There's a lot of people that seem to have left 57 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 2: Victoria and that have come to the best part of Australia, Katie, 58 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: and they've come here to the territory. We've got a 59 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: great lifestyle. We've still got some of our fifty thousand 60 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 2: first home builder schemes out there. I've told all these 61 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: new teachers in the induction ceremonies about that get on 62 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: board and buy a block of land and build your 63 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 2: house here. You know, we've all heard the story about 64 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 2: people come for you know, six months a year and 65 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: stay for a lifetime. 66 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, and let's hope that is the case. And look, 67 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: I can understand why people are living in leaving Victoria. 68 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 2: Why would you want to live there when you can 69 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 2: live here? But anyway, I absolutely agree with you. 70 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: Hey, tell me, how are things looking in terms of 71 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: some of the other positions, like the school based police 72 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: and the counselors, the truancy officers, that kind of thing. 73 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: So we all got I think there's we've still only 74 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: got two school based the alos, the Aboriginal liaison officers. 75 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 2: There is about with the oh, with the school counselors, 76 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 2: I can't remember, well, I know at the top of 77 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 2: my head. 78 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,160 Speaker 1: The only reason I the reason I ask is because 79 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: I guess for a couple of years there we had 80 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: that real shortage and I know there was a real push, 81 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: you know, to have more school based counselors. Are we 82 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: are we looking better place than what we have in 83 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 1: previous years. 84 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: So there's eleven out of fifteen positions filled at the moment. 85 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. 86 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: So and we've got and the the Alos over a 87 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 2: four year period that will build up to forty. It's 88 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 2: a total number. And we've had a couple that I 89 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 2: just spoke to a department person here in Catherine today 90 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: and we had a couple more to go to a 91 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 2: couple of schools, but then they just it hasn't worked 92 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 2: at the last minute, so that's a bit of a shame. 93 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 2: So we still just have the two here at McFarlane 94 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 2: and Catherine High School. 95 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: I'm still a bit of work with that. Yeah, Minister tis. 96 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 2: A real positive vibe here in Catherine and we're heading 97 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 2: out to Baranga to the Barunga School after we finish 98 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 2: here at the Catherine High School. And whilst here at 99 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,799 Speaker 2: Catherine High School, we're also meeting with Yadamuru Foundation, which 100 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 2: is I'm not sure if you've actually ever heard about it, 101 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 2: but that it's a foundation that does city country partnerships 102 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 2: and just talking to Sean, you know, so they partner 103 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: Catherine High School partners with Waikikiri College down in I 104 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 2: think it's out of Sydney, and there's other schools call 105 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 2: Field Grammar teams up with other schools like in Jabaru 106 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 2: Be's Week teams up I'm not sure who team school 107 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 2: is there, but they team up with another school as 108 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: well right across the territory. And it's about just that 109 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 2: city country, you know, making that divide not as big, 110 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 2: and so the kids go down there and see what 111 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 2: it's like to be in the city and the learning environment, 112 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 2: and equally those kids come up here. It's been a 113 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 2: really positive partnership. 114 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: That is good to hear now, Minister. In terms of 115 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: the buses, as I understand it this morning, I know 116 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:30,559 Speaker 1: that Bill Yan, the Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure, saying 117 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 1: that there's going to be an increased presence of police 118 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: and officers some of those transit offices as I understand it, 119 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: across our bus interchanges in the bus network over the 120 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: next couple of days as school settles in. Why was 121 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: that required, Well. 122 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:47,919 Speaker 2: I just think we need to make sure, you know, 123 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 2: at the start of the school year, there's a lot 124 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 2: of new little kids getting on the bus. We needed 125 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: to make sure that everyone's safely getting the school. I 126 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 2: did actually hear on the radio that a couple of 127 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: buses hadn't turned up for sort of students. So I'll 128 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 2: have to get on to the ministery and find out 129 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 2: what happened there. 130 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: So I'm not too sure what's gone on there. I mean, 131 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: are you confident that everybody, all of those kids have 132 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: actually gotten to school in the end. 133 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 2: Yes, I'm pretty sure all those kids did get to 134 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 2: school in the end. I did hear, and you know, 135 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 2: I was only hearing what parents were ringing and talking 136 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 2: about on the radio, to be honest, Katie. But I 137 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 2: will follow that up. But making sure that those kids 138 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 2: did get to school. You know, they might have been 139 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 2: a little bit late for their assembly, but you know, 140 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 2: getting back to the buses, it's just to make sure 141 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 2: that not only the kids get there safely, but you 142 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 2: know there's community safety. You know, it is a priority 143 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 2: of our government and we want to make sure that 144 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 2: all those young people getting to school on their first 145 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 2: day out there are having a positive experience. Absolutely. 146 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: Now, look, we know we still struggle when it comes 147 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: to a number of benchmarks. What works happening to really 148 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: try to ensure that our Northern Territory kids don't get 149 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: left behind. I know it's a priority for you as 150 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: the Minister for Education. 151 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. So there's just been a two day professional development 152 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 2: with explicit teaching and across the Territory. I went to 153 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 2: the one in Darwin yesterday morning where doctor Lorraine Hammond was. 154 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 2: She's an academic and an absolute specialist in that area, 155 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 2: and it was so good to listen to her deliver 156 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 2: her address to the teachers across the center across mainly 157 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 2: they would go on and Palmeston ones yesterday and then 158 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 2: yesterday afternoon they had an online session for teachers that 159 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 2: were more regionally and remote. And I know that from 160 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 2: talking to some of the teachers here and when I 161 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 2: called in the Adelaide riv yesday, they said it was 162 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 2: really good. You know, it's an evidence bosed approach. We 163 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 2: know that that's the way that kids learn by repetition. 164 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 2: Doesn't matter what you're doing, whether it's sports or whatever, 165 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 2: it's repetition that makes you better. And so it was 166 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: great to hear the feedback not only from the schools, 167 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 2: but it was also equally fantastic to be at that 168 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: PD session in Darwin yesterday morning and listening to her speak. 169 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: Well, Minnesota, before I let you go, we're all the 170 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: schools sent across the Northern Territory confident. They were singing 171 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: both verses of the National anthem this morning. 172 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 2: Well, I'm not sure whether all schools were going to 173 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 2: be singing their national anthem, because some just have it 174 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: as a bit of a I know, I'm going to 175 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 2: another school here in Catherine tomorrow. Morning. Today was just 176 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 2: about working through and getting the kids into their classrooms 177 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 2: and making sure that they get into their orientation is 178 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 2: good for them and the easier for them, and then 179 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 2: they'll have their assembly tomorrow. But I can tell you 180 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 2: hear at Catherine High School the national anthem was both 181 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 2: vers as we're sung and it was actually a different 182 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 2: version to what other primary school the primary schools here 183 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,839 Speaker 2: in Catherine do And anyway, as I said, they need 184 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 2: a little bit more work, but it was fantastic. 185 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: Well Joe Hersey, the Minister for Education and Training, good 186 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: to speak with you this morning. Hopefully everybody got to 187 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: school safely. It is some pretty wet and wild weather 188 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: out there, so hopefully all taking care. 189 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 2: And just to reminder Katie, the most important thing is 190 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 2: make sure that through the school zones, whether it be 191 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 2: picking up kids today or for the rest of the term, 192 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 2: forty kilometers around our school zones. 193 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, spot on. Joe, lovely to speak with you. Thank 194 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: you so very much for your time, we'll catch up 195 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: with you soon.