Motion (by Senator Calvert, at the request of Senator Tierney) agreed to:

That the following matter be referred to the Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education References Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day in June 2001:

The education of gifted and talented children, with particular reference to:

  (a)  a review of developments in the education of gifted and talented children since the 1988 report of the Select Committee on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children;

  (b)  consideration of whether current policies and programs for gifted and talented children are suitable and sufficient to meet their special educational needs, including, but not limited to:

  (i)  the means of identifying gifted and talented children,

  (ii)  whether access to gifted and talented programs is provided equitably, and

  (iii)  investigation of the links between attainment and socio-economic distribution; and

  (c)  consideration of what the proper role of the Commonwealth should be in supporting the education of gifted and talented children.