On this page: December | September | May/June | April | February/March
2005 news from the PEO
December 2005
Kidsview 2 is here!
The PEO has just launched a major update to Kidsview! Be sure to check it out!
September 2005
Kidsview 2 coming very soon…
The PEO is about to launch a major update to Kidsview, our popular interactive website for students and teachers! The new and improved Kidsview contains 4 engaging new interactives and is sure to please experienced and new users of Kidsview. Watch this space!
New-look PEO website coming soon…
The PEO is currently developing a new-look website to be launched in early 2006. Your new website will be even more dynamic, more user friendly, more accessible, and will contain new parliamentary resources for teachers and students. If you have any feedback or suggestions that may help us in our planning, please email the PEO webmaster at webmaster@peo.gov.au. Stay tuned for updates on this project!
New resource on the website
It has been a long time coming, but the new Fact Sheet Series is finally here! A great resource for all ages - the 56 fact sheets are simple to read, informative, and attractively presented. There is a complete PDF document with the entire set of fact sheets so you can download and print them out if you need to.
University pre-service teacher program
The PEO, in partnership with Edith Cowan University (Perth), each year in September hosts six year 4 pre-service secondary teachers from the Faculty of Education. Delegates are selected on merit by the faculty and spend a full week in Parliament House with PEO officers learning how to use parliamentary decision-making processes as teaching/learning strategies. In October the delegates deliver what they have learned in the program to their colleagues at ECU as part of their course assessment for their teaching degree.
All past delegates have entered the WA Department of Education in school placements and have put into practice what the learned with the PEO in Canberra. Some delegates have been called upon further to write the program into their placement school curriculum and to teach their teaching colleagues how to use the teaching/learning strategies.
There is strong indication that winning a place in this program enhances employment opportunities and better places pre-service teachers in readiness to tackle their first year in the teaching profession.
Talkback Classroom featuring Peter Garrett
Talkback Classroom (TBC) continues to provide students with the opportunity to engage key public figures in stimulating debate. In September Talkback Classroom featured current Labor MP, and past Australian lead singer of the popular rock band Midnight Oil, Peter Garrett. A panel of senior secondary students participated in an invigorating three-day program, which concluded with the opportunity to interview Peter Garrett and discuss issues regarding his role in the Labor Party.
May/June 2005
Talkback Classroom featuring the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
The Hon Kevin Andrews MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, was Talkback Classroom’s (TBC) most recent guest. A panel of senior secondary students immersed themselves in TBC’s three-day program, including briefings from TBC coordinators, parliamentary staff and experts in industrial relations, culminating in an interview in which the students questioned the Minister about the Government’s newly-announced industrial relations policy. The students enjoyed the chance to ask direct questions to the Minister about issues that are important in their own lives.
Parliamentarians agree on PEO role-play
In early May the PEO ventured south to conduct role-plays with students from the western Victorian electorates of Ballarat and Wannon. We were joined by the Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, and the Member for Wannon and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr David Hawker.
Seven local schools sent 42 student representatives to Bacchus Marsh, who participated in three role-plays which included a debate limiting TV commercials during children’s programming. They went on to debate a local issue fielded from one of the representatives, a bill to lower the driving age to 14. Next, they sent this bill to the Senate and debated an amendment –to restrict the license to rural teenagers.
Catherine King fielded numerous questions about life as a member of parliament. Answering a student who wanted to know what she thought of the Prime Minister, she diplomatically replied, “I respect the position of Prime Minister.”
On Tuesday WIN News and the Ballarat Courier covered our own Geoff Clarke, as well as Catherine King and David Hawker at the Ballarat Town Hall. Here, about forty students debated TV advertising. One child asked Mr Hawker whether he has any enemies and with a wry smile replied - some people are more difficult to deal with than others! Geoff Clarke told the Courier, the event “says a lot about these two people ( Mr Hawker and Ms King); because this event is not about parties; it’s about the parliament.”
On the last day, we drove to Ararat West Primary School. Here Mr David Hawker took on his role as the Speaker. He had to call “Order! Order in the House!” to contain their excitement during debate at one time. Later, one boy cried, “Do I have to dress up in them girl things?” when asked to put on the Sergeant-At-Arms’ lace cuffed jacket. He readily donned the coat when told he would be handling the golden mace.
Both the Speaker and Catherine King came away impressed and supportive of the PEO and its role in Parliament House and on outreach. We were equally impressed by their bipartisan contribution to democracy.
April 2005
Inside Parliament House
During March and April, we welcomed approximately 9,500 students from 146 schools, representing every Australian State and Territory.
The PEO hosted fourteen Simpson Prize winners in March. The winners of the national history essay competition, this year concerned with the ANZAC spirit, attended a two day briefing program in Canberra. The minister for Education, Science and Training, Hon Dr Brendan Nelson, awarded certificates to the Year 9 and 10 winners. Afterwards, the students went on to visit Gallipoli for ANZAC Day.
Also in March, Parliament hosted 135 students from the National Schools Constitutional Convention. Having been to various regional and state meetings to discuss the Australian Constitution and government earlier in the year, they spent time familiarising themselves with the national parliament before meeting to debate an amendment to the Constitution. Besides this, they toured Parliament House, viewed question time in the House of Representatives, met Members of Parliament and attended a reception at Government House.
Autumn TAFE visits
In March the PEO visited northwest Melbourne’s TAFEs, including the Kangan Batman Institute of TAFE, Victoria University in Footscray and the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE in Preston. Students took part in a Senate role-play, a Senate Committee role-play and got involved in debating a bill in a House of Representatives role-play. A federal member attended their respective debates.
During April the PEO headed north to Queensland. This outreach included Bremer, Cooloola (Nambour), Barrier Reef (Townsville) and Logan Institutes of TAFEs as well as the Indigenous Australian People’s Unit at Kangaroo Point, Brisbane.
Amongst the very positive comments from students were:
“very informative, exciting, dynamic way of learning it brings the law making process alive when there is more of a personal involvement and therefore doesn’t make it so alien”
“we can learn from the experience not to give up hope and to fight for what you believe in as we are a democratic society of people”
Alice Springs
The Northern Territory Parliament is going to Alice Springs on March 18 and the opening “Act” is local students in a Parliament of Birds at the Desert Park, inspired by our Cockatoo Island series.
Read more about Cockatoo Island.
PEO fellows
As part of our Fellowships program, several senior secondary Politics and Legal Studies Teachers from Far North Queensland visited Canberra and collaborated with our educators to develop strategies for parliamentary education. Over four days they observed question time, visited the High Court and Electoral Education Office and met the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon David Hawker MP.
February/March 2005
A busy summer
Heywire: 38 young people from all over Australia descended on Canberra this February to take part in Heywire. Heywire is run by ABC rural radio and focuses on exploring issues relevant to rural youth.
The National Youth Science Forum: 120 year 11 science students also ‘turned up’ this January. They explored the parliamentary committee process by role-playing a Senate committee of inquiry into wind energy.
American student visitors: 100s of American students also appeared ‘down under’ this summer. Students from Bridgewater College Virginia, and the University of California were among the visitors who debated a hypothetical bill to introduce mandatory conscription.
The PEO visits Wiltja School
Late in 2004, the PEO visited Wiltja School which is a part of Woodville High School in Adelaide. Many students at Wiltja come from communities in South Australia, Northern Territory and WA and they board near the school. The program they participated in involved creating and then debating a bill in the House of Representatives. The law they decided to make was about an issue they decided was very important, stopping petrol sniffing. The government, opposition and independent members were in agreement on the bill. Some of the arguments the members put forward were; to help the communities remain healthy by encouraging and providing more sporting activities and traditional activities like hunting, to educate the communities and the sniffers, sending the sniffers to special programs and heavy penalties for people selling to the sniffers. Many speeches were made and it was clear from the start that there was agreement in the House of Representatives.
Read more about our customised programs.