Page 4042 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 30 November 2022
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MS BERRY: Again, I reject the assertion in Mr Hanson’s question. However, there will be occasions—I cannot rule it out—where there might be chances for spaces to be used temporarily for teaching and learning opportunities. That has been the case for a while, and it will continue to be the case. However, as the Education Directorate and the ANU work together on projections—and we have really precise projections for up to five years now—about where our students will be going to schools across the city, we will be able to make adjustments where that is the case. We have seen that across the city, and we have also seen now growth within areas like Gungahlin—some of the highest growth areas within the country—where we are building new schools. We are building new schools in Strathnairn, in Molonglo and in Whitlam.
MR COCKS: How many schools could be built or expanded with the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on the tram?
MS BERRY: That is a bit of a silly question, as well. In my view—
Mr Hanson: Why? It is not a silly question at all.
MADAM SPEAKER: Members, the question has been asked; allow it to be answered.
MS BERRY: In my view schools are built based on where children live and where families need a local school within that area. And then adjustments are made
should there be a need for that in areas of high growth—for example, schools in Gungahlin and—
MS LEE: I have a point of order. We were not talking about where the resourcing or the funding will be spent. The question from Mr Cocks was very straight forward. That was: how many schools could be built or expanded with the hundreds of millions being spent on the tram? I ask the minister to be relevant.
MADAM SPEAKER: The minister is relevant to the question. She is talking about school expansions and schools maintenance.
MS BERRY: Just to finish of my answer to that question—which, as I said, I think is a bit silly—we have built light rail and new schools at the same time.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, if you want to ask a question you should seek the call, not mutter across the chamber.
Canberra Hospital—Fetal Medicine Unit accreditation
MS CASTLEY: My question is to the Health Minister. In August I asked the health minister about training accreditation of the Fetal Medicine Unit and the response was CHS were actively recruiting for a subspecialist. I asked for a follow-up on this issue on 23 November and this position had not been filled. The minister also pointed out that a lot of staff are taking leave. Minister, how long have CHS been advertising for a subspecialist at the Fetal Medicine Unit and why can you not fill the position?
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