Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, as we discussed yesterday, we know that new measures
are being introduced to whole parents accountable for not sending
their children to school. So from today Term four, parents
who consistently failed to get kids to school, they're going
to be referred for income management. Education Minister Joe Hersey
says children who regularly miss out on school are more
(00:21):
likely to become disengaged and fall into crime and anti
social behavior. Now joining us on the line for their
take is anti Cogso President Ruth myram skodboarding to you, Ruth.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Good morning Katie and to your listeners. Lovely to be
back with you.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, great to have you on the show too. Now, Ruth,
what's your reaction to this announcement yesterday?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, we're a bit shocked, Katie. You are this read
it in the papers in the morning on the last
day of you know, Piple free Day, yes today with
my kids like everyone else, I was a little bit
shocked to see this come out this way. And we've
got lots of questions about how this is going to work.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So what are some of those questions and some of
those concerns that nt COGXO have at this point.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, so we haven't because we didn't have a heads up.
We haven't been able to go out to our members
and find out, you know, what everyone's thinking. But broadly,
we know that our kids succeed when they feel safe
and supported at school, and that means having a trusted
relationship with you know, between the student and the people
in the school, but also with the families. And this
(01:25):
kind of measure, especially when we don't have the detail,
doesn't feel like it's building that trust. It feels like
a punitive measure. And we haven't seen you know, lots
of kids have lots of reasons for not going to school.
They might have, you know, issues with bullying, they might
have mental health, they might have you know, in the
teenage years, menstruation and period poverty issues. I don't see
(01:47):
how this measure is going to help them. So we're
a bit disappointed not to see that wrap around support
offered where families are doing their best to get their
kids to school in a lot of.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Cases, I know from some of the you know, some
of the interaction we've had from listeners over the last
twenty four hours is some people are like, all right, well,
this could be a good thing. You know, We're trying
something different, and they're sort of, I suppose thinking about
it from the approach that you know, at different times
over the last few years, we've had a lot of kids,
you know, in Casuarina, some of them unfortunately doing the
(02:16):
wrong thing at different times when they should be at school.
So I suppose for some listeners they're thinking, well, you know,
if there's a way that we can make sure that
these kids are sort of forced to go to school,
that'll be a good thing. But then I certainly have
also heard what you're saying, and I've had some parents
approach me and say, you know, Katie, I find it
hard enough to try to get my child who's got ADHD,
(02:40):
autism other difficulties to be able to go to school
because they don't have the support required once they're sort
of up in that high school, you know. So I get, like,
I guess it's a very broad sort of reaction at
this point in time.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, one hundred percent, Katie, and I'd agree with those listeners.
You know, no one wants to see kids down at
kaz during school hours, running a mark or running a
muck at any time, and we all want kids at school.
We all want kids accessing that quality education. It gives
them that chance in life that they need that we
as parents and all the community want kids to have.
(03:17):
So at one hundred percent agree with those listeners that
we want to address that. I'm just not sure that
this is how to do it. And as you said,
it's very broad and is it going to actually address
the underlying issues that those children and those families are having.
I'm not sure about that.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
So what do you think what needs to happen from
your perspective next? I mean, do you need to sit
down with the Education Minister and talk through some of
the concerns that you guys may have.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, look, we'd welcome the chance to do that. We
stand ready to work with the government and the department
to get a solution to this issue. And what we've
seen work is when these these are really balanced in
their community led solutions. We know Darwin's different from Gos,
different from ten and different from Alice, who the territory
is very diverse and different. Solutions need to address the
(04:03):
underlying issues in each place and for each community and
that's when we know how they'll work. So we absolutely
stand ready to talk with the minister and work with
her and her department on a solution for this.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So I know the Minister said that school attendance, the
school Attendance team's going to lead the approach sort of
focusing on parents and cares of students who've been absent
from school for twenty days or more. Do you know
if there's actually a lot of students falling into that category.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
I don't have the data at hand, Katie would have
to ask minister for that, but I know it's different
in different places, and hear in the market that's actually
quite a small number. Our problem more for us is
that we've got kids missing a couple of days here
and there. Yep, I'm sure in other places, and from
what we hear from our members, it is different in
(04:52):
different places. So I think again, you'd have to take
that community. You know, each community knows itself and they've
probably got those solution and I think everyone agrees kids
should be in school and do well. And it's so
that shared responsibility that you describe, Katie, right between the school,
the family, the department, businesses. You know, casina probably has
(05:13):
a role and how do we all get together and
address this problem with lots of different leaders.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Yeah, Well, I know even Casarina, they sort of went
to you know, they ended up going, well, we're banning
kids from these times of the day, they're not allowed
to come in. And it did from what they've said,
it made a big impact for them in terms of,
you know, a positive one because they were seeing some
really sort of difficult to anti social behavior issues and
then they ended up with the truancy officers or you know,
(05:40):
the school attendance team I think going out there as well,
and it did make a difference for them. I know
though in other communities, I've had people contact me some
days and say, you know, Katie here and Catherine, these
kids literally, you know, walking down the street when they
should be at school and they're they're doing the wrong thing.
So I just know it's become an issue that has
(06:01):
become quite the hot, hot button issue too, where people
are going why aren't they at school?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yeah, and I absolutely agree, and it's great to hear
that example from Caz. You're Ina, you know, where the
community and businesses have got together and got a solution
that works for them. And I think that those community
led approaches where everyone has a you know, a part
to play and everyone can contribute to what we know
works in this space, So you know, we'd be looking
for more support for those kinds of things as opposed
(06:29):
to this sort of broad, broad brush approach that risk
turning what is to shared responsibility into a negative relationship
or a bit of a power struggle.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, hey, Ruth, the minister's off us has just been
in contact with us. They say the policy was announced
in May twenty twenty four, so I reckon it shouldn't
be a surprise, But they reckon it only applies to
parents who neglect their children and have chronic non attendance.
I mean, does that change anything from your perspective.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I think it's fantastic to hear it's not going to
be broadly applied. I think if people are in that
position of neglecting their children and you know, those sort
of chronic issues, it's obviously outside the education space anyway,
I would argue. So yeah, I'm not sure how this
gives them more than what they already had there. And
you know, I'm not at bureaucrat, so I don't know
(07:20):
how it's all going to interact and work with Sennalink
and then child protection and whatever whatever. But I think
you know, we'd want to see that really positive relationship
between the school, the department, parents all working together. We
know it's hard, as you said, I've got a child
with ADHD and some morning it's very hard to get
them to school, and I need to feel like the
(07:41):
school's got my back as I'm trying to get my
young one there as opposed to you know, we're working
against each other, or the school's taking my money or
whatever that kind of perception issue.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
All rightth Look, I really appreciate your time, Always appreciate
your time, and I think it gives people a little
bit more perspective as well, you know, So that's always
an important and let us know how you go, whether
you do end up having a discussion with the Education
Minister's office and how you go from there.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Absolutely we will, Katie. And we're getting all our school
counsels together, our amazing executive teams working really hard at
the moment, getting all our school counsels together for our
full council meeting in Darwin later in the month, and
we'll definitely be discussing issues like this. So yeah, I'll
share with you yourself and your listeners what we find out.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I'd be very keen to have a catch up after that. Ruth,
thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it.
Thank you much.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Katie have a lovely day, and to your listeners also
you too.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Thank you
Well, as we discussed yesterday, we know that new measures
are being introduced to whole parents accountable for not sending
their children to school. So from today Term four, parents
who consistently failed to get kids to school, they're going
to be referred for income management. Education Minister Joe Hersey
says children who regularly miss out on school are more
(00:21):
likely to become disengaged and fall into crime and anti
social behavior. Now joining us on the line for their
take is anti Cogso President Ruth myram skodboarding to you, Ruth.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Good morning Katie and to your listeners. Lovely to be
back with you.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, great to have you on the show too. Now, Ruth,
what's your reaction to this announcement yesterday?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, we're a bit shocked, Katie. You are this read
it in the papers in the morning on the last
day of you know, Piple free Day, yes today with
my kids like everyone else, I was a little bit
shocked to see this come out this way. And we've
got lots of questions about how this is going to work.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So what are some of those questions and some of
those concerns that nt COGXO have at this point.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, so we haven't because we didn't have a heads up.
We haven't been able to go out to our members
and find out, you know, what everyone's thinking. But broadly,
we know that our kids succeed when they feel safe
and supported at school, and that means having a trusted
relationship with you know, between the student and the people
in the school, but also with the families. And this
(01:25):
kind of measure, especially when we don't have the detail,
doesn't feel like it's building that trust. It feels like
a punitive measure. And we haven't seen you know, lots
of kids have lots of reasons for not going to school.
They might have, you know, issues with bullying, they might
have mental health, they might have you know, in the
teenage years, menstruation and period poverty issues. I don't see
(01:47):
how this measure is going to help them. So we're
a bit disappointed not to see that wrap around support
offered where families are doing their best to get their
kids to school in a lot of.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Cases, I know from some of the you know, some
of the interaction we've had from listeners over the last
twenty four hours is some people are like, all right, well,
this could be a good thing. You know, We're trying
something different, and they're sort of, I suppose thinking about
it from the approach that you know, at different times
over the last few years, we've had a lot of kids,
you know, in Casuarina, some of them unfortunately doing the
(02:16):
wrong thing at different times when they should be at school.
So I suppose for some listeners they're thinking, well, you know,
if there's a way that we can make sure that
these kids are sort of forced to go to school,
that'll be a good thing. But then I certainly have
also heard what you're saying, and I've had some parents
approach me and say, you know, Katie, I find it
hard enough to try to get my child who's got ADHD,
(02:40):
autism other difficulties to be able to go to school
because they don't have the support required once they're sort
of up in that high school, you know. So I get, like,
I guess it's a very broad sort of reaction at
this point in time.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, one hundred percent, Katie, and I'd agree with those listeners.
You know, no one wants to see kids down at
kaz during school hours, running a mark or running a
muck at any time, and we all want kids at school.
We all want kids accessing that quality education. It gives
them that chance in life that they need that we
as parents and all the community want kids to have.
(03:17):
So at one hundred percent agree with those listeners that
we want to address that. I'm just not sure that
this is how to do it. And as you said,
it's very broad and is it going to actually address
the underlying issues that those children and those families are having.
I'm not sure about that.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
So what do you think what needs to happen from
your perspective next? I mean, do you need to sit
down with the Education Minister and talk through some of
the concerns that you guys may have.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, look, we'd welcome the chance to do that. We
stand ready to work with the government and the department
to get a solution to this issue. And what we've
seen work is when these these are really balanced in
their community led solutions. We know Darwin's different from Gos,
different from ten and different from Alice, who the territory
is very diverse and different. Solutions need to address the
(04:03):
underlying issues in each place and for each community and
that's when we know how they'll work. So we absolutely
stand ready to talk with the minister and work with
her and her department on a solution for this.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So I know the Minister said that school attendance, the
school Attendance team's going to lead the approach sort of
focusing on parents and cares of students who've been absent
from school for twenty days or more. Do you know
if there's actually a lot of students falling into that category.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
I don't have the data at hand, Katie would have
to ask minister for that, but I know it's different
in different places, and hear in the market that's actually
quite a small number. Our problem more for us is
that we've got kids missing a couple of days here
and there. Yep, I'm sure in other places, and from
what we hear from our members, it is different in
(04:52):
different places. So I think again, you'd have to take
that community. You know, each community knows itself and they've
probably got those solution and I think everyone agrees kids
should be in school and do well. And it's so
that shared responsibility that you describe, Katie, right between the school,
the family, the department, businesses. You know, casina probably has
(05:13):
a role and how do we all get together and
address this problem with lots of different leaders.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Yeah, Well, I know even Casarina, they sort of went
to you know, they ended up going, well, we're banning
kids from these times of the day, they're not allowed
to come in. And it did from what they've said,
it made a big impact for them in terms of,
you know, a positive one because they were seeing some
really sort of difficult to anti social behavior issues and
then they ended up with the truancy officers or you know,
(05:40):
the school attendance team I think going out there as well,
and it did make a difference for them. I know
though in other communities, I've had people contact me some
days and say, you know, Katie here and Catherine, these
kids literally, you know, walking down the street when they
should be at school and they're they're doing the wrong thing.
So I just know it's become an issue that has
(06:01):
become quite the hot, hot button issue too, where people
are going why aren't they at school?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yeah, and I absolutely agree, and it's great to hear
that example from Caz. You're Ina, you know, where the
community and businesses have got together and got a solution
that works for them. And I think that those community
led approaches where everyone has a you know, a part
to play and everyone can contribute to what we know
works in this space, So you know, we'd be looking
for more support for those kinds of things as opposed
(06:29):
to this sort of broad, broad brush approach that risk
turning what is to shared responsibility into a negative relationship
or a bit of a power struggle.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, hey, Ruth, the minister's off us has just been
in contact with us. They say the policy was announced
in May twenty twenty four, so I reckon it shouldn't
be a surprise, But they reckon it only applies to
parents who neglect their children and have chronic non attendance.
I mean, does that change anything from your perspective.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I think it's fantastic to hear it's not going to
be broadly applied. I think if people are in that
position of neglecting their children and you know, those sort
of chronic issues, it's obviously outside the education space anyway,
I would argue. So yeah, I'm not sure how this
gives them more than what they already had there. And
you know, I'm not at bureaucrat, so I don't know
(07:20):
how it's all going to interact and work with Sennalink
and then child protection and whatever whatever. But I think
you know, we'd want to see that really positive relationship
between the school, the department, parents all working together. We
know it's hard, as you said, I've got a child
with ADHD and some morning it's very hard to get
them to school, and I need to feel like the
(07:41):
school's got my back as I'm trying to get my
young one there as opposed to you know, we're working
against each other, or the school's taking my money or
whatever that kind of perception issue.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
All rightth Look, I really appreciate your time, Always appreciate
your time, and I think it gives people a little
bit more perspective as well, you know, So that's always
an important and let us know how you go, whether
you do end up having a discussion with the Education
Minister's office and how you go from there.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Absolutely we will, Katie. And we're getting all our school
counsels together, our amazing executive teams working really hard at
the moment, getting all our school counsels together for our
full council meeting in Darwin later in the month, and
we'll definitely be discussing issues like this. So yeah, I'll
share with you yourself and your listeners what we find out.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I'd be very keen to have a catch up after that. Ruth,
thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it.
Thank you much.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Katie have a lovely day, and to your listeners also
you too.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Thank you
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