RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS - Queensland Parliament ...

31 Oct 2012 Adjournment 2349
School Chaplains
Ms MILLARD (Sandgate—LNP) (12.26 am): It is great to finally have this adjournment debate to
be able to talk about this topic, which is chaplaincy. I rise today to speak in support of Queensland’s
chaplains and the National School Chaplaincy Program. In recent weeks I attended the 10th
anniversary of chaplaincy at the Bracken Ridge State High School, the first in my electorate to take on a
school chaplain. Now there are six chaplains in my electorate servicing eight schools—almost every
state school in my electorate. This demonstrates strong support, even by Queensland standards, with
chaplains in around 50 per cent of our schools. I commend Premier Campbell Newman for being one of
the first to speak out in support of chaplains following the recent High Court challenge, and for
committing funding of $1 million over four years to provide better access to chaplaincy in our schools.
Chaplaincy is one of those rare initiatives that has long had bipartisan support, and I believe that
this is a source of national pride. Former Prime Minister John Howard initiated the National School
Chaplaincy Program in 2007 and now there are over 500 chaplains in over 600 schools in Queensland.
Their job is not to convert—though many come from a faith based background—but to guide, be a role
model and provide emotional, ethical and practical support services for students. This ranges from
listening, to helping on school camps, to running breakfast clubs. They do not wear the badge of
counsellor but, as explained by Scripture Union Queensland CEO Peter James, they are trained youth
workers who refer when they need to and are there for everyone, from kids with serious emotional
needs to kids with everyday problems.
At the community level, I hear few voices of dissent regarding the value of chaplains. As one
commentator in my local newspaper said—
Sometimes life is hard. With today’s rates of bullying, broken homes and mental illness, wouldn’t you think that having an adult to
confide in at school is a good thing? At school the kids all love our Chappy and the safe space she offers.
On a personal level, I was talking to a chaplain recently and this is what this chaplain said—
I am too busy every day to actually worry about what people who don’t support chaplaincy say. It’s always wonderful to get
encouragement, but ultimately it’s about the kids. I’m in it for them, supporting them when they are facing tough times, be that a
parental break up, death in the family, or friendship issues. I have seen the impact one kind gesture makes for a child who would
otherwise feel isolated and awkward. I have seen in my role, that this simple act of listening, hearing someone out, empowers
them.
So, fellow MPs, are we listening? Because if that is what it is all about then our young ones are in
good hands. I commend all members here today to stay on course in sending a political message that
we continue to value the input of chaplains in our schools and communities. Let’s stay on course in
supporting fundraising efforts and the best legislative environment possible so that they can do what
they do best: improve the lives of future generations.
Women
Mrs CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (12.29 am): The Commonwealth parliamentary women’s
association has a number of agenda items but in particular three action agenda items: universal
chlamydia screening; to address the sexualisation of minors and children in the media; and digital
enhancement of images in print and electronic media. In particular, we have been concerned recently
about the sexualisation of minors and children, particularly portrayed through the media. The Queen
Victoria Women’s Centre is concerned about damaging media portrayals of women and girls including
gender stereotypes; unhealthy and unrealistic portrayals of ‘body and beauty’ ideals; misrepresentation
of body image through digital image manipulation; and sexualisation and objectification of women,
especially young women and girls.
SeeMe was set up by a group of students. The SeeMe evaluation concludes—
Building young people’s media literacy skills is crucial as they construct a sense of self within a social environment that is
characterised by pervasive and unrealistic media messages delivered in a multiplicity of forms. The SeeMe Evaluation has
demonstrated the effectiveness of programs such as SeeMe in encouraging young people to critically analyse and deconstruct
media images such that they can cultivate more realistic appraisals of their own bodies and thus resilience against the
undermining influence of the media.
On a day-to-day basis, even when watching our local TV, you can see how unrealistic some of the
images of women are. In my electorate there are a number of ads for make-up, and when you look
closely at the young people in the ads who are portrayed to be mature adults they would be lucky if they
were 12. It is obvious when you look at their skin that they have not reached puberty. They do not have
any problem with the reaction girls face when they become teenagers. Their physical size is very, very
small—unattainable, particularly for a woman who has had a couple of kids. This is the sort of
information that young people are constantly being fed. Unless they are taught to view these images on
the TV very critically they will absorb the information as if it is fact.