Shadow Minister for Education, Jo Hersey, says the Education Minister, Lauren Moss, needs
to take immediate action to address serious concerns about the safety of teachers and
students in the remote community of Umbakumba.
“The safety and wellbeing of teachers, students and staff right across the Territory – and
particularly at Umbakumba, given reports of escalating violence and criminal damage in the
community – should be an absolute priority for Minister Moss.
“It’s absolutely disgusting that the Education Union has been forced to raise these safety
concerns publicly because its members have been completely ignored by Minister Moss.
“According to the Union, teachers have had their homes broken into, students have brought
edged weapons onto school grounds and school property has been vandalised. The Union
wrote to the department six days ago to raise these concerns – and the Minister hasn’t
bothered replying.
“Why is the Minister refusing to acknowledge the serious concerns raised by the peak body
representing our teachers? If the community isn’t safe for our teachers – why haven’t they
been relocated?
“This strategy seems to have become the Minister’s modus operandi: stick your head in the
sand and hope the problem goes away.
“It’s the same tact Minister Moss used when ICAC handed down a damning report into the
misappropriation of $500,000 by the former principal of Milingimbi School. Territorians are
still waiting for the Minister’s public statement.
“It is Minister Moss’s responsibility to ensure that Territory kids get a good education and
that our teachers and education staff are safe – clearly she’s failing at both,” said Ms Hersey.
ENDS