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3635 PROOF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS No. 374 TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2020 (The Questions and Answers Paper published every Tuesday of each week will contain, by number and title, all unanswered questions, together with questions to which answers have been received on the previous sitting and any new questions. On subsequent days, new questions are printed, as are questions to which answers were received the previous day. Consequently the full text of any question will be printed only twice: when notice is given; and, when answered.) Notice given on date shown 3636 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 374— Tuesday 3 November 2020 Publication of Questions Answer to be lodged by Q & A No. 358 (Including Question Nos 2400 to 2406) 02 November 2020 Q & A No. 359 (Including Question Nos 2407 to 2447) 03 November 2020 Q & A No. 360 (Including Question Nos 2448 to 2452) 04 November 2020 Q & A No. 361 (Including Question Nos 2453 to 2461) 05 November 2020 Q & A No. 362 (Including Question Nos 2462 to 2462) 06 November 2020 Q & A No. 363 (Including Question Nos 2463 to 2469) 09 November 2020 Q & A No. 364 (Including Question Nos 2470 to 2470) 10 November 2020 Q & A No. 365 (Including Question Nos 2471 to 2471) 11 November 2020 Q & A No. 366 (Including Question Nos 2472 to 2520) 12 November 2020 Q & A No. 367 (Including Question Nos 2521 to 2523) 13 November 2020 Q & A No. 368 (Including Question Nos 2524 to 2524) 16 November 2020 Q & A No. 369 (Including Question Nos 2525 to 2528) 17 November 2020 Q & A No. 370 (Including Question Nos 2529 to 2534) 18 November 2020 Q & A No. 371 (Including Question Nos 2535 to 2536) 19 November 2020 Q & A No. 372 (Including Question Nos 2537 to 2548) 20 November 2020 Q & A No. 373 (Including Question Nos 2549 to 2549) 23 November 2020 Q & A No. 374 (Including Question Nos 2550 to 2551) 24 November 2020 3637 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 374— Tuesday 3 November 2020 12 OCTOBER 2020 (Paper No. 358) 2400 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—NESA-ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES RUN BY MEL SMITH—Mr Latham to ask the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— 2404 REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES, INDUSTRY AND TRADE—SUPPLY OF HUCK BOLTS FOR THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE—Mr Veitch to ask the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning representing the Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional New South Wales, Industry and Trade— 2405 WATER, PROPERTY AND HOUSING—GREENETHORPE POLICE STATION—Mr Veitch to ask the Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women representing the Minister for Water, Property and Housing— 13 OCTOBER 2020 (Paper No. 359) *2407 TRANSPORT AND ROADS—NEWCASTLE INTERCHANGE AND PERSPEX SCREENS—Mr Primrose asked the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, Special Minister of State, Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts, Vice-President of the Executive Council representing the Minister for Transport and Roads— (1) Will uniform size Perspex screens be installed along the entire length of the Newcastle Interchange customer service counter to protect staff? (a) If not, why not? (2) Will a permanent glass shield be installed at the Newcastle Interchange customer service counter to protect staff? (a) If not, why not? Answer— I am advised: A risk assessment was conducted at Newcastle Interchange in consultation with staff in regard to the tasks the staff at the customer service desk undertake. The risk assessment determined that installing the temporary perspex protection screens would reduce the risk of exposure to vomit⁄urine⁄faeces⁄blood⁄spitting. The screens are not security screens but are intended to prevent accidental or inadvertent airborne particles being transmitted between the employee and customer. The risk assessment recommended that only two screens should be installed. However a decision was made to install a further two screens along the counter. A review of the additional screens, which are a different height to the original two screens, has led to them being replaced with screens the same size as the original two screens. Transport for NSW provides masks for customer facing and other frontline people who work in situations where it is difficult to maintain physical distancing. This includes people working on public transport services, at interchanges, at heavy vehicle weighing stations, school crossing supervisors, concierge 3638 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 374— Tuesday 3 November 2020 services and in frontline roles such as traffic emergency patrols, boating safety officers and maintenance staff. In accordance with this policy, individual face shields and masks have been provided for all staff at Newcastle Interchange. *2408 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—TEACHERS LEAVING THE NEW SOUTH WALES PUBLIC TEACHER FORCE—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) Does the Department of Education collect and record the reasons teachers list for leaving the New South Wales public teacher workforce? (a) If so, can the Minister provide a breakdown of the reasons for: (i) 2018? (ii) 2019? (iii) 2020? (b) If not, why not? Answer— (1) The Department of Education records a limited reason for separation of all permanent staff on the HR Personnel system. The reasons are broad in nature, with the largest category being retirements. Reasons include: • Resignation • Returement • Medical Retirement • Death • Termination • Transfer out of Department YEAR RESIGNATI RETIREME MEDICAL DEATH TERMINAT TRANSFER TOTAL ON NT RETIREME ION RED OUT NT OF DEPARTME NT 2018 726 1,531 34 43 42 0 2,376 2019 812 1,275 45 31 10 0 2,173 2020 as at 850 1,152 44 26 321* 1 2,394 16⁄10⁄20 Note: Teachers include classroom teachers, principals, and non-principal teaching executives *The large increase in terminations in 2020 is due to the Workforce Transition team undertaking a review of long term unauthorised absence. This review resulted in a large number of staff being deemed as having abandoned their employment and were terminated as a result. *2409 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—TEACHERS ON ALTERNATE DUTIES—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) How many teachers on alternate duties are currently employed by the Department of Education? Answer— (1) As at 19 October 2020, 69 members of the Teaching Service were placed on alternative duties relating to investigation and performance. *2410 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—TEACHERS ON ALTERNATE DUTIES STATISTICS—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) How many teachers on alternate duties were employed by the Department of Education in the 3639 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 374— Tuesday 3 November 2020 following years: (a) 2012? (b) 2013? (c) 2014? (d) 2015? (e) 2016? (f) 2017? (g) 2018? (h) 2019? (i) 2020? Answer— (1) Members of the Teaching Service placed on alternative duties in the calendar year while investigation and performance processes are undertaken: Year 2012 - 39 2013 - 45 2014 - 70 2015 - 43 2016 - 44 2017 - 48 2018 - 67 2019 - 82 2020 (YTD) - 57 *2411 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—EARLY ACTION FOR SUCCESS SCHOOLS—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) How many early action for success schools are there in New South Wales? Answer— (1) In 2020, there are 554 public schools participating in Early Action for Success. *2412 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—EARLY ACTION FOR SUCCESS SCHOOLS LIST—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) Can the Minister provide a list of the early action for success schools, including the electorate the school is located in and student enrolment at each school? Answer— (1) The Department does not publish Early Action for Success schools to prevent participating schools being ranked, in possible breach of s1 SA of the Education Act. *2413 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—SCHOOLS IN DEBT—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) How many schools are currently in debt? Answer— (1) No NSW government schools are currently in debt. *2414 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—SCHOOLS IN DEBT LIST—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) Can the Minister provide a list of the schools currently in debt broken down by the following: 3640 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 374— Tuesday 3 November 2020 (a) Amount of debt per school? (b) The state electorate of each school? (c) The student population at each school in 2015 and 2020? (d) The percentage growth or decline in enrolments that each school has experienced between 2015 and 2020? Answer— (1) Please see answer 2413. *2415 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—DEBT WIPING—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) Has the Department of Education wiped the debt of any schools since 2015? (a) If so, can the Minister provide a breakdown o the amount of debt wiped per school and the state electorate of each school? Answer— (1) No debts have been wiped for any schools since 2015. *2416 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING—SPLIT LUNCHTIMES—Mrs Houssos asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning— (1) Does the Department know how many New South Wales public schools currently have split recess and lunchtimes between different years levels of students? (a) If not, why does the Department not know how many schools are needing to split lunchtimes to manage student populations? Answer— (1) The decisions around break times at schools are made locally by the schools in consultation with the school community. Schools vary break times for a number of reasons.