Page 1899 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 June 2022
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Motion to take note of petition response
MADAM SPEAKER: Pursuant to standing order 98A, I propose the question:
That the response so lodged be noted.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Schools—infrastructure projects
Ministerial statement
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Women) (10.02): I am happy to address the Legislative Assembly today on the infrastructure projects that the ACT government continues to deliver to upgrade and expand ACT public schools while also building new schools right across the territory.
It is no secret that I am passionate about our city’s public education system. ACT public schools deliver high-quality teaching and learning to over 51,000 students across Canberra. We want every child in the ACT to have access to a great public education and the life benefits that flow from it. Key to this is creating great learning environments for our students and great workplaces for teachers and school staff.
Our government has made significant investments in our public education infrastructure and is committed to investing in building great schools which are some of the most exceptional, state-of-the-art ACT government facilities in Canberra. We are working hard to ensure that every young person has access to great, accessible, safe, inclusive and sustainable facilities and school infrastructure that supports high-quality education in our rapidly growing city.
This financial year the ACT government committed a total of $178.5 million in funding towards our schools’ capital works program. Investing in Canberra’s public education system means that there is a place for every student in their local public school and that every child has the best start to life. I am excited to share with you today a number of major projects currently underway that will modernise and better meet the learning needs of our school communities.
The start of the 2022 school year saw our 90th public school, Throsby School, open its doors. It was a pleasure to see our families arriving at their new school on day one and witness the students beginning a new chapter of their learning. The ACT government’s total investment of $43.9 million in this state-of-the-art learning facility saw high-quality learning environments built to accommodate preschool to year 6 classes, incorporating both indoor and outdoor learning areas, as well as integrated and inclusive spaces to support all students. In keeping with the government’s commitment on emissions reduction, the school is carbon neutral and has an incredible 220,000-litre underground water tank capturing and re-using water.
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