Press Conference, South Australia

SUBJECT/S: New Schools Pathways Program announcement; Encouraging STEM subject uptake in high school; Australian Defence Force career opportunities.

SENATOR MARIELLE SMITH: Good morning, Marielle Smith here, Labor Senator for South Australia.  Well, it's fantastic to be here this morning with Minister for Defence and Industry Pat Conroy, Minister for Education Blair Boyer, Labor's candidate for Sturt in the upcoming federal election Claire Clutterham, and Olivia Savvas our local state MP here.

We want South Australia to be the preeminent place ‑ if you are a young person interested in and passionate about STEM there should be nowhere else you want to live and want to build a career than South Australia because there will be endless opportunities here for you. That's what our young people, that's what we want to deliver for the future of South Australia and the future of our state and today's announcements go to that.  

And in Claire Clutterham, Labor's candidate for Sturt, we have a passionate advocate for the defence industry, passionate advocate for the future potential opportunities for young South Australians in our state. We don't want any young South Australian child thinking they have to go somewhere else to have a brilliant and exciting career in STEM and they won't have to because of the investments of the state and federal governments, so really excited to be here to share this announcement. I know Claire will continue to advocate for announcements like this and programs like this which are all about building our defence industry here in South Australia and making sure our young South Australians are equipped to take up every possible opportunity that comes from that. I'll hand over to Minister Conroy. 

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY PAT CONROY: Thanks. So, it's great to be here again in South Australia, truly is the defence state, and it's great to be joined by both my federal colleagues but also my state colleagues and Claire Clutterham, Labor's ferocious candidate for Sturt, who is always fighting for a fairer deal for her area. We need more kids studying science, technology, engineering and maths. That's the statement of the obvious, for a whole range of courses into the future, almost every job imaginable in the future economy will require STEM and the defence industry is no exception. We've got 100,000 people who work in the defence industry right now and that needs to grow dramatically over the next 15 to 20 years as we reequip the Australian defence force to deal with strategic challenges that we face, at the heart of that is obviously building the most advanced submarines in the world right here in South Australia.  

That will create 20,000 jobs alone including 5,000 in the shipyard. To do that we need kids studying STEM, being interested in the defence industry. My message to kids, including the ones behind us working on a hydrogen powered remote controlled car right now, is if you join the defence industry you can work with the most advanced technologies in the world and to do that you can build a career, you can raise a family, you can buy a house, and you help make Australia a safer place so that's my message to kids. But to do that we need kids studying STEM subjects so they've done all the preparatory work to move in to the most advanced jobs in the world.  

And that's why I'm delighted today to announce a new $11 million Schools Pathways Program. This Schools Pathways Program is all about partnering with educational institutions and state governments especially the South Australian state government who is our best partner in the country in terms of working on defence industry opportunities. This $11 million will go to a range of programs that encourage kids to study STEM in high school and also get exposed to the defence industry. To give you a few examples, there’s $1.6 million to Fleet Space, an innovative South Australian company, to let kids work on building an educational satellite. Kids ‑ and I'm so jealous of them ‑ will get to help build educational satellites to develop their STEM knowledge and experience. It includes another $536,000 for tech for education for the Deakin pathways program, where kids will get to work on 3D modelling, coding and virtual reality to help expose them to the sorts of technology and projects they can work in the future in the defence industry. And then we’ve also got a range of other programs that we are doing.   

These are vital if we are to build the workforce of the future, they're vital if we are to have the defence industry we need to reequip the Australian Defence Force and I'm just inspired by the kids’ passion, their enthusiasm to work on some of the most advanced technologies in the world and really equip the Australian Defence Force and I want to pay tribute to Claire Clutterham, our candidate for Sturt. Claire has got deep experience in the defence industry, having worked for ASC which is the crown jewels of our defence industry. Claire is always in my ear and the ear of the Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, about more support for the South Australian defence industry, making sure that South Australia not only gets its fair share but its proportion of share of the defence dollars to make sure that people in Adelaide and South Australia have a future, a proud economically prosperous future so I want to thank Claire for her continued advocacy and I will turn over to Blair for some comments from the South Australian government.  

SA EDUCATION MINISTER BLAIR BOYER: Thank you Pat, it's fantastic to be back here at Banksia Park International High School. I spent a lot of time here with the local member, Olivia Savvas, talking about the wonderful things that happen at this school. This is certainly a leader in terms of the South Australian education system in terms of what is going to inspire young people, like the ones sitting behind us to take up subjects in science, technology, engineering and maths. We absolutely welcome this investment from the federal government. Minister Conroy is right ‑ I think we've got a fantastic track record between federal Labor and state Labor particularly when it comes to investment in defence. But one of the things I think that I've really noticed is we talk about things like STEM as politicians and the need for our young people to graduate with qualifications and skills in those areas. But sometimes what we don't do well I think is connect the dots between how do you go from sitting working on a hydro powered remote controlled car in high school to having a job in one of these sectors. How do you end up having a job in building, as Pat said the most advanced machines in the world in nuclear powered submarines.   

It's all about explaining in a real world kind of sense to young people who are still in high school what subjects and skills they need to get those jobs of the future, what the job might look like on a day‑to‑day basis, joining the link between why they need those skills they're learning in the classroom and where they'll be used on the work site so young people in our schools like those here at Banksia Park International can make an informed decision in the early years of high school, instead of a last minute decision at the end of high school about where they want to go and where they want to work. Because that's a bad outcome for them, a last-minute decision, but more often that's not it's a bad outcome for the state and for the nation as well as they're not contemplating the opportunities that actually exist for them in these enormous growth opportunities for South Australia and Australia in areas like defence. And I really want to thank Pat for his support, the work of Senator Smith, and our candidate Claire Clutterham for Sturt as well.  

These are, I think, great examples of federal and state government working together to support South Australian industry and I've said it before I think government works best when it partners with industry. This is a great example of that, it will mean more opportunities for young people like those sitting behind me so that in decades to come when we look back on this period we can say we did do the work to make sure that young future workers in South Australia were the ones who actually benefitted from these amazing opportunities that are there before us now as a state. I'll pass over now to Claire who would like to say a few more comments and then I think we are happy to take questions on this and anything else.  

CLAIRE CLUTTERHAM, CANDIDATE FOR STURT: Thank you, thank you Minister, it's a pleasure to be here this morning at Banksia Park and as the Senator and Minister Conroy have said I am a huge advocate for the defence industry in South Australia. The defence industry is not just about shoring up Australia's defence capability, it's about creating a sovereign supply chain for this country, it's about AI, it's about cyber, it's about partnering with industry, research and development and it's about creating multiple different pathways for students like the ones behind me who will be the future leaders in the defence industry in South Australia. Today's announcement underpins the Labor government's investment in not only education, but in the economy of this state. The defence industry offers South Australians well paid, meaningful, secure long‑term jobs and that is an offer for primary school students, it's an offer for students in early learning centres, and it's even an offer for residents, future residents of South Australia who haven't even been born yet. That is an exciting proposition for our state. If I'm elected as the member for Sturt at the next federal election I will continue to work hard with our Premier, Peter Malinauskas, with the Minister, Mr Conroy to ensure the defence industry has a long‑term future here in this state to grow it, to keep South Australians here with well-paid, meaningful, secure jobs. So, thank you very much everyone I might throw back to Minister Conroy I think for any questions. 

MINISTER CONROY: Thank you very much. Any questions? 

JOURNALIST: Minister, so was this like careers counselling almost to really make it clear, I guess, how to go from one step to the other? 

MINISTER CONROY: Well one element of these programs is mentoring and careers counselling and often, I don't know about the kids behind, but my kids it's much easier for them to see something if they see someone else doing it and so one of these programs is around mentoring so that they meet people in the defence industry or they partner up with someone from the university studying or teaching in this area. So one part is that absolute mentoring area because kids, obviously, we need to get them interested in this and make the connection as Minister Boyer said from studying science and technology into working in the most advanced technologies in the world and that's the connection we are trying to make to inspire kids and the Minister is absolutely right, year 11 and 12 is too late, people have made their choices they're starting to think about what they're doing, studying law or whatever, but year seven and eight getting them interested in working in the most advanced technologies in the world is the way we get people passionate about this and we need that not only for their economic future but to help make Australia a safer place.

JOURNALIST: What sort of feedback have you had from students in the development of this program? 

MINISTER CONROY: Yeah well, we've learned from earlier programs ‑ and this is on top of a $3 million direct partnership we've got with the South Australian and WA governments ‑ and kids love it. And they're thinking about pathway that they've never seen before. I was at another school where, it was a school that wasn't, that came from a low socioeconomic background so these kids were just exposed to a whole range of technologies they might not have seen previously. And now they're beating very well resourced schools in technology challenges and it just inspired them to do more and more and more of that. So, some of them are now talking about joining the Australian Defence Force. Others are excited about using 3D printers to make parts that will go into stealth fighter jets or submarines, so kids are seeing this and they're seeing this as opening a whole range of opportunities they never thought of before.  

JOURNALIST: What about those kids that don’t really know what they want to do in high school, I suppose what's the message to those kids?

MINISTER CONROY:  Well give it a try is my message. And again, it's the beauty of these programs are you don't have to sign up and say yes, I'm going to join the defence industry. We want you to study STEM, that's why we're planting 4,000 more university places in STEM.  Some of them will go into the submarine project but a lot won't but that means we've got a workforce that's more passionate and more knowledgeable about STEM and so my message to kids is just give it a try. Work on a remote-controlled hydrogen car, work on designing a new app to get people interested in joining the ADF. Look at 3D printing that so many schools have nowadays and just give it a try and if it arouses a passion follow that. What I say to my kids and everyone else is find something that you like doing, and try and make that a career. 

JOURNALIST: In terms of the roll out of this program, will it be a part of every school, every government school's curriculum across Australia? 

MINISTER CONROY: Well there's different programs doing different things. So, for example the Beacon pathway program is with our funding 9,000 years seven and eight kids to engage in a virtual VR modelling process, other programs will look at select cohorts, and partner with schools, I'm not sure whether ‑ Blair do you want to add anything to that? 

MINISTER BOYER: Sure thanks Pat. Our ambition of course is to increase the number of students who get opportunities through these pathways but then the funding that's been gratefully provided here by the federal government will go towards basically growing the number of programs that are offered like that at schools like Banksia Park International. So that we've got more students getting those opportunities and as that grows so does our capacity to do it in even more schools I think, if there's genuine interest from students. I know there's genuine interest from principals in schools to offer more of this.   

That's why we are so pleased to have this financial support from the federal government because what it helps us do is make sure the schools actually have the resources to offer some more programs around STEM, as Pat said, how can you find that kind of thing that ignites the imagination of a young person and they can then see themselves working in that area as a career, and that's the kind of stuff that has to happen at a much younger age than I think it's currently happening at because too often we see high school students particularly, make decisions which will actually define their working lives at the last minute, at the end of their high school experience too late. And I think ‑ I'm talking from my own experience ‑ I don't think previously we've done a great job of kind of explaining in clear terms to young people what a career in areas around STEM, science, technology, engineering and maths looks like and why it's actually exciting. Stuff like hydrogen and defence and space, these are exciting, amazing things to work on but I think we are pushing up against decades of us talking down careers that involve maths and science and portraying them as being things that aren't necessarily exciting or interesting, and those views and perceptions of adults and parents and grandparents are really influential with young people when they give their own views around what they think their child or grandchild should be doing.   

So letting young people actually experience it and touch it for themselves when they're in high school helps them actually go on to make an informed decision and as Pat said, you want to find a career in something they love doing but if you are not exposed to it at an early age essentially when you sit down to make that decision around what do I want to do for my working career, you think your options are actually far more narrow than they actually are. It's bad for the young person because they might end up working in an area that's not their passion, but more often than not it's actually bad for the economy as well because we don't get people moving in to the areas that our state desperately needs and you know, the growth we need in South Australia around defence and areas like that is huge. That's the challenge but that's also the opportunity and it’s there to grasp. As the South Australian Education Minister, I unashamedly want to see South Australians get those jobs and young South Australians get those jobs.  

JOURNALIST: And just on the timeline roll out of this program, when are you hoping to roll this program out?

MINISTER CONROY: Well as soon as possible is the answer. We need kids engaging more in STEM right now and we need to flow on through to the defence industry so these programs will roll out as soon as possible. And as I said we already signed agreements with the South Australian and WA government for a separate component and that money is flowing right now and that's flowing through into these educational opportunities and these grants will complement that so I went to Fleet Space Technologies a few weeks ago and their launch box program which I still can't get over, kids getting to design and launch a satellite, is incredible. That will be flowing out very shortly and I'm just so excited because this is about the economic future of South Australia and this is about reinforcing South Australia as a defence state which means more jobs, more high tech high skilled jobs helping make Australia safer.

JOURNALIST:  Is it alright just before we speak to some students if I ask Minister Boyer just about ‑

MINISTER BOYER: We've got time for maybe two more questions guys.  

JOURNALIST: Thank you. Just on the Genius Child Care in Blair Athol, they said that they were opening today after being closed for – there wasn't anyone there this morning during the regular drop off hours, do you have any information on why that might be? 

MINISTER BOYER: I don't, I asked the Education Standards Board who are independent regulators who did the work with Genius Child Care in Blair Athol to put the 14-day suspension in place and asked for all those conditions to be met before they could reopen. They met those conditions and were permitted to reopen yesterday for I think, a total of 39 children that was what their numbers were going to be capped at until further conditions were met. I know I think that the child care provider itself put out communications saying that it would be reopening, I'm sure that those parents who I know would have been pretty inconvenienced across those 14 days where it was closed would have been pleased to have it reopen, so I don't have any update on that, or advice around what's happening with Genius Child Care at Blair Athol.  

JOURNALIST: Question for the Education Minister.

SPEAKER: Last question.

JOURNALIST: On the topic of civics. It was reported this week that fewer than 20 percent of year 10 students in SA were meeting the national requirements in civics.   Now in August the government announced that they were going to be teaching civics in every subject in schools. Is that a plan that is working for the government or are they looking at other avenues to teach civics to kids? 

MINISTER BOYER: So, these results from National Assessment Program of civics was the sample test across the nation of how students are performing at the end of primary school and at year 10 in terms of being able to answer pretty basic and fundamental questions around civics and our system of government. It’s worrying, there's no doubt about that. I would like to be able to say that I'm surprised, I'm not, I think we've seen a decline for a number of years now particularly in the number of students in high school going on to study what is now called People, Power and Politics at SACE level. I think that has shown the interest has waned which has been a real worry to me and to the Premier, that's why we took action with this announcement last year, put together a really comprehensive suite of actions that we can take to try to turn those figures around.   

Yesterday morning, in fact during that lunch of public school civics teachers will be teaching year seven and eight students at the first session of professional development that we are putting on for them which we think was something that was missing and I think we can all remember a teacher that we had who was really passionate about the subject that they taught, which piqued our own imagination and got us excited in things, exact same thing is true of civics as well and if you don't have that teacher particularly at the start of high school to tell you why issues of civics and our system of government and democracy are interesting and important for you to understand then you are very unlikely to continue your studies later in to high school so, you are being told subtly or sometimes not so subtly that it's not as important as other subjects. So professional development is a big part of it, having it as a cross curriculum priority which means we get through to the later years in high school, different threads about civics and democracy are pulled out in to all sorts of different subjects and example I often give is maths, great opportunity to talk about stats, how politicians might use stats, sometimes misuse them of course I've never done that myself. But I hear that some people do that. Understanding voting systems, and quota systems, around an election for a preferential or first past the post system.   

They're all great examples of how you can pull out the threads of civics in a whole range of different subjects so that you can build that knowledge and what I want to see is yes, absolutely that next round of the assessment tests nationally around civics see our results improve and really need to improve. I’d also like to see the number of students who are going on to study People, Politics and Power at SACE level go up because it has been declining for a number of years. The comment I always make is I think it's more important that people have a really solid understanding and trust in our institutions and system of government than ever before because this is a generation that is being absolutely bombarded every day by misinformation but also disinformation, deliberately wrong information which is being put out there to deliberately mislead them and it's eroding trust in the systems of government and free and fair elections.   

Of course, the natural repercussions of that is that if you think the whole system is fixed or inherently corrupt you are not interesting in learning about it. You are not interested in engaging in any discussion around it and you sure as hell aren't interested in putting your hand up and running for public office. There's no way you are going to do that, so it's more important for this generation than ever before that they understand how our system of government works, understand why democracy is something you've got to actually fight for, and understand that they can have a really high level of trust in the way that we institute democracy in this country around free and fair elections, South Australia is leading the way with this program and I'm pretty confident we are going to see on the back of these really core national results some other states and territories follow our lead. Thanks.

MINISTER CONROY: Thank you very much everyone. 

ENDS