10th Sep 2019, 5:14 PM – Representatives Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extend Family Assistance to Abstudy Secondary School Boarding Students Aged 16 and Over) Bill 2019 - Second Reading - Aboriginal and Tor...

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion "that the bills be read a second time", which is parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. Since this vote was unsuccessful, the second reading motion will remain unchanged.

Amendment text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) students from remote areas do not have access to the high school education options taken for granted in cities;

(b) while boarding school works well for some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, it is not the best option for many others—taking students away from family, community, country and language;

(c) there are many reasons for the high turnover of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at boarding school, including levels of cultural awareness and understanding; and

(d) the lack of secondary school options closer to home contributes to the gap in high school completion rates; and

(2) calls on the Government to increase investment in public and community school options that are closer to home, and will allow more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to finish high school".