In another demonstration of the Labor Government’s tone deaf approach to government, they will be moving school counsellors out of schools and to the Mitchell Centre.
Shadow Minister for Education Jo Hersey is outraged at the decision and the direct impact this will have on Territory kids.
“Many students that need counselling do not come forward on their own, put up their hand and ask for help, often it is the counsellors who through their direct engagement with the students identify kids in need of support,” she said.
“Last week, Natasha Fyles spent Parliament preaching that ‘kids in schools don’t commit crimes’ and now she’s ripped counsellors out of schools.”
“They’ve already cut school counsellors from 19 to 3, what will be cut next?”
This decision comes against the advice that the Government’s own Education Engagement Strategy Reflections paper put forward, which states that schools want a “better student counselling support system, including a head space at school.
Mrs Hersey says, “One comment from a student said ‘that they needed to make it easier to access school counsellors and make it more normal to go.’ How is being shipped into Mitchell Street encouraging students to feel normal for seeking help.”
“The Labor Government spent $10 million for this engagement strategy, to ask the real views of stakeholders, only for this to be ignored. Just another taxpayer bill for lip service,” she said.
ENDS