AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS - D.O.G.S.

PRESS RELEASE 112#.

OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESSES

AND

 SUBMISSIONS TO THE REVIEW OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING LEGISLATION

 DOGS are interested to note that the Victorian Minister for Education, Lynne Kosky has promised open and transparent processes in the Review of Education and Training Legislation exercise. We have sent the following letter dated 14 June 2005 to the Minister for Education Lynne Kosky in relation to these processes.

Ms L. Kosky,

Minister for Education and Training

Dear Sir/Madam,

REVIEW OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING LEGISLATION

OPEN AND TRANSPARENT CONSULTATION PROCESS?

In a letter dated May 10 from Kathryn Henderson, the Deputy Secretary of the Office of Strategy and Review written on your behalf, it was asserted that the government has embarked upon an open and transparent consultation process in relation to the above matter.

We wish to put this claim to the test.

We note through other sources, that you, as Minister for Education, invited a body named the Australian Council for Private Education and Training to the launch of the Review of Education and Training Legislation.

Has this body put in a Submission in response to the Review of Education and Training Legislation?

Information Concerning Submissions:

            i.          List of names:

In answering this question, could you also inform us of the list of names of every organisation and persons who have made a submission to the Review?

            ii.         Availability of Submissions

We would also appreciate it if you could make a list of all those organisations and persons who have expressed a wish to have their submissions excluded from public scrutiny together with a list of those whose submissions are available for public scrutiny.

DOGS consider that the two lists should cover all those making submissions. Please inform us if DOGS assumption in relation to the totality of those making submissions is incorrect. 

Senate Approach to Submissions:

The process followed in recent times by the Australian Senate in relation to certain education matters was to make submissions available on the internet to the general public subject to the approval of those making the submissions.

For an example of this we refer you to our earlier submission to the Enquiry into the Definition of Charities ( Press Release 30 at www.adogs.info) and the Senate Enquiry into Commonwealth Funding for Schools in 2004.

 Please note that this and other letters sent to you form the basis of some of our recent Press Releases also replicated on our web page. We are happy to be open and transparent in this matter.

We await your response,

Yours sincerely,

RAY NILSEN

PRESIDENT DOGS