Bills Digest No. 174 2004–05
Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment
Bill 2005
WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.
CONTENTS
Passage History
Purpose
Background
Main Provisions
Endnotes
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Passage History
Indigenous Education (Targeted
Assistance) Amendment Bill 2005
Date
Introduced: 25
May 2005
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Education, Science and
Training
Commencement:
Royal
Assent
The purpose of
this Bill is to amend the Indigenous Education (Targeted
Assistance) Act 2000 ( the Act ) to:
-
Appropriate additional funding for the Indigenous Tutorial
Assistance Scheme (ITAS)
-
Transfer funding for independent vocational education and
training providers to appropriations under the Skilling Australia s
Workforce Bill 2005.
Until 2000, Commonwealth assistance to
Indigenous education was provided through the Indigenous
Education (Supplementary Assistance) Act 1989. Although the
Indigenous Education (Supplementary Assistance) Act 1989
was not repealed, the Indigenous Education (Targeted
Assistance) Act 2000 now provides the funding and implements
the Government s policy. The Act provides appropriations for the
Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Programme (IESIP) to
assist Indigenous students in government and non-government
schools, including small independent Indigenous schools. Funding
may go to all education sectors from pre-school to tertiary. It
includes Away From Base funding for ABSTUDY students attending
compulsory course activities and funding for special projects.
Funding is provided through agreements made with education
providers.
The Bill will decrease the appropriation under
section 14A of the Act by a net $3.7 million over
2006 to 2008. The Bill transfers $10.9 m to be spent under the
Skilling Australia s Workforce Bill 2005.(1) The
transfer will come from funds currently provided to four
independent vocational education and training providers: the
Institute for Aboriginal Development (IAD), Tranby Aboriginal
Co-operative College, Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern and Tauondi
Incorporated.
The four providers will now be required to
compete for funding in a joint funding pool under a proposed new
Commonwealth State funding agreement provided through the Skilling
Australia s Workforce Bill 2005.(2)
The Bill also includes new spending of $7.2 m
which is fully funded from savings in other areas of the Department
of Education, Science and Training. The new spending will fund a
measure announced in the 2005 budget: the Remote Indigenous
Students tutorial support for students leaving their communities ,
which will cost $8.7 million over the four years to 2008-09, or
$7.2 m to 2008.(3)
The net effect of the new spending and the
transfer to the Skilling Australia s Workforce Bill 2005 is a
reduction of $3.7m.
The Remote Indigenous Students tutorial
support for students leaving their communities initiative will
provide tutorial support for mainly secondary Indigenous students
who move from their remote communities to undertake schooling.
These 2,040 students will receive up to four hours tuition per week
in their first year away from their remote communities. It
complements two initiatives the Indigenous Youth Leadership
Programme and the Indigenous Youth Mobility Programme funded in the
Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment Bill
2004.(4) This Bill continues the Government s emphasis
on providing a greater weighting of resources towards Indigenous
students in remote areas who the Government regards to be of
greatest disadvantage.
-
Skilling
Australia's Workforce Bill 2005, Bills Digest no.160, 2004
05
-
This proposal will follow the abolition of the Australian
National Training Authority (ANTA) and the associated funding
arrangements which were provided for under the ANTA Agreement. The
abolition of ANTA is covered by the Skilling Australia s Workforce
(Repeal and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2005.
-
Senator the Hon Amanda Vanstone, Indigenous Budget Measure 2:
Remote Indigenous Students tutorial support for students leaving
their communities Fact Sheet Budget 2005; also Budget Paper No.2,
Table 5 Addressing Indigenous Needs , Budget Papers 2005.
-
Indigenous
Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment Bill 2004 Bills Digest
no. 57, 2004 05.
Coral Dow
1 June 2005
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
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ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 2005
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Published by the Parliamentary Library, 2005.
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