Page 381 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 10 February 2021
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detail of the work that is happening through the pill testing working group, I would welcome an approach from him to my office for that briefing.
MS CLAY: Minister, which organisations are you working with to ensure that this important pilot is underway as soon as possible?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Clay for the question and refer her to my previous answers.
Schools—modular learning centres
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs. Minister, the budget for the Education Directorate for 2020-21 has approximately $17 million in infrastructure spending for modular learning centres. Minister, can you explain exactly what a modular learning centre is and how many modular learning centres this $17 million represents?
MS BERRY: For Mr Hanson’s information, and to advise the Assembly, modular learning centres are transportable classrooms that have about a 15 to 20-year life. They are highly modern, sustainable and environmentally friendly classrooms. They are double-glazed and have heating and cooling. They provide additional support to schools for classes to be conducted in when school capacities increase. Transportable classrooms are an efficient way to provide extra space to schools as demographics in various areas change. Because they are transportable, they can be used on more than one site. Once a site’s situation changes, they can be used at other schools. There are approximately 17 transportable classrooms.
MR HANSON: Minister, how many students across the ACT are already being taught in modular learning centres?
MS BERRY: I will have to get some advice on that and bring that back.
MR CAIN: Minister, will the modular learning centres be temporary or permanent?
MS BERRY: They are generally temporary, as I have just described. But these are not a new thing. Modular or transportable classrooms have been used across the ACT and across the country for longer than this government has been here in the ACT. I recall older primary schools, when I was a child, where transportable classrooms were used when demographics changed and schools needed to expand for a while. Those transportable classrooms could then be used elsewhere. Occasionally, they do need to be more permanent. They are built to be transportable, but, because of the high-quality build of these classrooms, they can be semi-permanent classrooms in schools as well.
Public housing—disruptive behaviour
MR PARTON: My question is to the Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services. Minister, Monday’s Canberra Times reported the ongoing an terrible living situation at the Condamine Court public housing complex in Turner. Residents have
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