Access Ministries Providing Documentation

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Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Education, Mr Herbert. The Fairness in Religions in School (FIRIS) organisation has been lobbying to reduce the influence of evangelical elements getting access to government primary schools via the special religious instruction (SRI) program — organisations such as ACCESS ministries. FIRIS has used freedom of information to get education department statistics on the number of schools providing SRI in Victoria and the number of children doing SRI within those schools. The organisation asked for the 2013 and 2014 data via an FOl request and was provided with data in August 2014. It was, however, only provided with 2013 data, with a promise under the same request to furnish the 2014 data when it became available, but this has not occurred. This has been despite numerous requests made to and commitments from that department.

Can the minister advise when he can supply that 2014 data to my office and FIRIS and also advise how much money ACCESS ministries has been granted for 2015 to provide SRI in schools?