Labor stands for safe, secure, well-paid jobs, and good education helps get more Tasmanians into well-paid jobs.

In a stunning revelation from Estimates, data shows that Tasmanian students are not receiving the educational and developmental support they need.

Horrifying figures laid bare further proof that Tasmania’s education system cannot afford the Liberal minority government budget cuts.

The government admitted that:

• 2,217 students are waiting to see a school psychologist.
• 380 students are waiting for a school social worker (and 808 were referred to external services).
• 598 are waiting for a speech and language pathologist.
• The average number of days a Tasmanian student has to wait to see a school psychologist for an initial assessment is 250 days.
• To receive an intervention, the average is 198 days, meaning the average wait time for an assessment and intervention is 448 days.

It’s no wonder the state’s educational outcomes are lagging the nation. Students requiring additional support have not been afforded the opportunity to access the support they need.

These shocking figures also illustrate that educators are not being provided the support they need.

How can we expect to improve education outcomes for students when the state government is asking an already stretched system to do more, with less?

How can Tasmania deliver the future workforce it needs, when the Liberal minority government has decided to ignore our students’ needs?

Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Minister for Education & Early Years