Page 2401 - Week 07 - Thursday, 4 August 2022
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description that I have chosen to use. They have been used for decades and decades, well before self-government, to ensure there is—
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, enough!
MS BERRY: On a point of order. It is very difficult to talk, Madam Speaker, with the constant interruptions. He asked a question; he could politely just listen to the answer.
MADAM SPEAKER: You have the call Ms Berry.
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Members will stop the exchange! Mr Hanson, you will not interject, and Ms Berry will get the floor.
MS BERRY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have used these units across the ACT, as every other state or territory uses them, to meet the needs within our schools as capacity fluctuates. Fortunately, they are transportable, and they can be used at other schools for different purposes as well—for ordinary classrooms, for art spaces, sometimes even for music halls and dance rooms for people who need to use them over the weekends. They are a really great way to meet the needs of our school communities for a particular time, and they are well built. They are often appreciated so much by the P&Cs and the school communities as new learning spaces that they look forward to receiving them, and we know that is a way we can meet the needs of those school communities now and into the future.
For schools that need permanent buildings, we also do planning for that. We have announced—in the ACT government—work with the Majura Primary school community to put permanent—(Time expired.)
MR HANSON: Minister, why are you, in the words of the P&C, “only funding what was urgently needed, not what will be required in the long term”?
MS BERRY: We are not. We will continually work with the parents and citizens and school communities about their needs as we work towards making sure that we meet the needs of every child who wants to attend their local school—that those local schools are available for any child and family who needs them. And we will continue to work with our school communities, parents, carers, teachers and school principals to ensure that we meet the needs of each individual school now and into the future.
MS LEE: Minister, how did closing 23 schools—by your government previously—impact the current situation in ACT schools now?
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Members, enough!
MS BERRY: They have not.
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