In a recent interview on Sunrise, Education Minister Jason Clare and Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley discussed their plans to address the growing vaping epidemic in Australian high schools. They shared their concerns about the negative impact vaping is having on students’ behavior and performance in schools and emphasized the need for a united effort to tackle this issue. Additionally, they discussed their differing opinions on the government’s 80% renewables target by 2030. The interview sheds light on the challenges facing the education and energy sectors in Australia and highlights the importance of finding solutions to these issues.
The vaping epidemic in Australian high schools has become a growing concern for both the government and opposition parties. In a recent interview on Sunrise, Education Minister Jason Clare and Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley expressed their concerns about the negative impact vaping is having on students’ behavior and performance in schools. They also discussed their plans to work together to address this issue.
Minister Clare outlined the suite of reforms proposed by the Health Minister to reduce the vaping epidemic. This includes getting rid of the fancy packaging and flavors, which are designed to target children, and removing these products from corner stores and petrol stations. He also emphasized the need for an education campaign to discourage children from using these toxic drugs.
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley echoed Minister Clare’s concerns, saying that teachers should not have to police vaping parties in toilets or worry about the effects of vaping on students in their classes. She emphasized the importance of working together to declare war on vapes in schools, a sentiment shared by Minister Clare.
While the government and opposition parties are united in their stance on vaping in schools, they differ on the issue of renewable energy. The former CEO of the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project, Paul Broad, recently criticized the government’s 80% renewables target by 2030, saying that it cannot be completed in eight years. Minister Clare disagreed with this assessment, saying that while it’s a tough thing to do, it is necessary to replace old coal-fired power stations with renewable energy.
Deputy Opposition Leader Ley raised concerns about the affordability and reliability of renewable energy, particularly during the winter months. She argued that households should not have to choose between heating and eating, and emphasized the need for a plan to address the potential for blackouts.
Overall, the interview highlighted the challenges facing the education and energy sectors in Australia. While there are differences in opinion on the path forward, both the government and opposition parties agree that action is needed to address these issues. It remains to be seen how these challenges will be addressed in the coming years.
