Laura Jayes: Joining me now is the Education Minister, Senator Simon Birmingham. Thanks so much for your time. I understand it’s been a long night for you in the senate as well. Simon Birmingham: [Laughs] It is still Thursday isn’t it? Laura Jayes: Yes. No, no. Friday. Sorry. It’s been a long week for us as well. Look,…
Ben Davis: Look, there has been plenty of talk today too, and not just today but over the last few weeks about the Safe Schools programme. You know my views on it. I think it- and especially on a day when we’re talking about anti-bullying and anti-violence; it’s what our kids have been hearing about…
Rafael Epstein: There are some central units in the Safe Schools program, the ones that have gone use terms like this: defining sexual diversity on a continuum, and recognising that same sex attracted people do not fit into stereotypes. Essentially the lesson on hetero-normative behaviour is gone as well. Senator Simon Birmingham has been this…
David Speers: As we saw on Friday after the COAG Leaders’ Meeting, the Prime Minister withdrew his policy proposal to allow the states to raise their own income taxes. What’s been left unresolved, though, is where the Government now wants to go on education funding in particular. Public schools: does it want to continue playing…
Patricia Karvelas: This afternoon the Federal Government has delivered it’s response to the review of the Safe Schools anti-homophobia program. It seems to have appeased conservative Coalition critics of the program but is being labelled a back down by others. Senator Simon Birmingham is the Federal Education Minister, thanks for your time, and also for staying…
Rafael Epstein: The Prime Minister wants to give the states more responsibility for raising the money that they spend. It would mean a state-based income tax. It could mean the Federal Government no longer funds public schools in Victoria. That’s something the Prime Minister’s speaking about. Would you be happy with the Federal Government handing…
Ben Fordham: On the line is the Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham. Good afternoon to you, Mr Birmingham. Simon Birmingham: G’day Ben, good to be with you. Ben Fordham: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. You’ve made some sweeping changes to the Safe Schools programme today. So you’re removing these roleplaying activities. You are…
Narelle Graham: Without too much further ado, the Turnbull Government’s Education Minister Simon Birmingham is in day two of a visit to regional South Australia today. The Minister was in Port Lincoln yesterday, today it was Port Augusta and Whyalla that were on the itinerary and the visit coincides with a report that the Government…
Simon Birmingham: … in many ways for Australia’s future then getting our embrace of maths and sciences as part of our education system right and to set people up for the future, a future in which young Australians are best equipped to fill the jobs of the future and to create the jobs of the future,…
Sarah Tomlinson: But first today, the Minister for Education and Training is visiting schools and preschools on the Eyre Peninsular, and a little later today in Whyalla. He spoke with Deane Williams when he was in Port Lincoln, and Deane asked him about the very young children he met in the city yesterday and whether he…