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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 296 asked in the Legislative Council on 6 April 2022 by Hon Colin De Grussa

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

CORONAVIRUS — SCHOOL CAMPS

296. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Education and Training:

I refer to the decision to postpone or cancel school camps.

(1) Since the introduction of high case load settings on 8 February 2022, has the minister received any proposals for consideration from camp school providers that identify potential procedures that could be implemented across camp schools to enable them to safely reopen?

(2) If yes to (1), when did the minister receive the proposals and have they been forwarded to the Chief Health Officer for consideration, and what is the current status of those proposals?

(3) Has the Department of Education updated its school camp policy since 2020 to the standards that other countries are now doing so they run camps, including rapid antigen testing of students and teachers prior to leaving school for camp; and, if yes, can the minister please detail the changes?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1)–(2) I have met with camp providers, and my parliamentary secretary has as well on my behalf. We have received from them information about their practices to limit the transmission of COVID-19 in camps. As I have said publicly, the Chief Health Officer will review his advice to postpone school camps during the second week of the April school holidays based on the status of the pandemic at that time. Materials received from camp providers will be incorporated into those that the Department of Education provides to the CHO at that time. One of the issues that camp providers raised was the desire for an outdoor education advisory group to provide regular advice to the Department of Education. I have tasked my parliamentary secretary with establishing that.

(3) No. A range of protocols and procedures are implemented in different jurisdictions. Although it is largely not a regulated industry, I am aware that they work within industry standards and guidelines to maintain safe practices. The Department of Education will update its policy in accordance with the Chief Health Officer's advice.