❓ Opposition questions falling school attendance, particularly for Indigenous students. Minister defends government efforts, highlighting investments and programs, accusing the opposition of oversimplifying a complex issue.

Schools—Attendance72.Mr Liam Staltarito theMinister for Education:I refer to recent data in theReport on government servicesthat confirms that school attendance in WA public schools continues to fall under this government's watch, including a nearly 10 point drop in attendance for Indigenous students since 2017. How low will attendance rates have to plunge before this government takes real action to reverse the trend?

Ms Sabine Winton replied:I thank the member for the question on what is a critically important area. It is a priority of this government, and certainly a priority for the Department of Education and a variety of Catholic education providers. I had the pleasure of speaking with school leavers this morning at an Australian Council for Educational Leaders breakfast where we talked about the critically important issues that face all sectors. Let us be clear: for the shadow education minister to suggest that attendance rates are somehow the fault of the government shows that he really does not truly understand what is happening to attendance rates nationally and throughout the state.Several members interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Sabine Winton:I say that honestly, shadow, because I spend my entire time talking to people in the sector and the member is the first one ever who is trying to paint the scenario that attendance and the challenges that are faced by children, whether it is school avoidance or other things, are somehow this government's fault. He is in fact the only one who has ever painted it as simplistically at that.We, as a government, are committed to ensuring that students get the best education possible, whether it is through our record investment in infrastructure, our record investment in employing more teachers and teachers assistants than ever before or through other support services that we know schools need to support students and families. Let us be clear: it is a shared responsibility between schools, students and families. The member's perception of it paints a really simplistic view. I am very happy to take the opportunity, while I am on my feet, to share someexamples throughout our system of how we are focused on improving attendance in our schools. In fact, only onMonday—Several members interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Sabine Winton:Only on Monday I was in the Kimberley with the member for Kimberley as well as our federal counterparts and the Minderoo Foundation to announce another significant investment in local communities to support children and families in terms of school readiness and having a great positive relationship with schools. I mention that because the member referenced the Kimberley as though increasing attendance rates was something simplistic. It is a complex area that schools and communities deal with, and I really find the simplistic way that the member paints it quite offensive. Programs like KindiLink and the Kimberley Schools Project are directly focused on providing a stable environment for schools to engage with students. The Night Space in Marra Worra in Fitzroy Crossing is doing placed-based work supported by our government to engage with disengaged students. Great work is being done by Ben in Derby. He provided statistics on students re-engaging and getting back into school. The member really does need to get out and about.Several members interjected.The Speaker:Members!Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition!Ms Sabine Winton:The member really needs to try to get out and about—Several members interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Sabine Winton:I look forward to the shadow spokesperson perhaps some time in the future actually going to the Kimberley and getting a better appreciation of the complex issue that he raises and seeks to simplify. Schools—Attendance