Page 2613 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 24 August 1993
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However, given the Minister's comments, the committee has noted that the Government could redirect these funds to accelerate upgrading of community playgrounds. I would go so far as to recommend that this course of action be taken. I am appreciative of the receipt of the draft Canberra children's playground survey, capital works program 1993-94, which details the degree to which Canberra's playgrounds fail to meet Australian design standards. However, it seems to me, Madam Speaker, that the identification of current inadequacies and perceived lack of funding is no substitute for concerted action in this area. The allocation of additional funds to this project will enable most of the outstanding urgent works to be completed within 12 months and will ensure greater protection for Canberra's young children.
I would also urge the Department of Education and Training to conduct a similar review of preschool and primary school playground equipment, which will, hopefully, enable substantial funds to be committed to necessary upgrading work in the 1994-95 financial year. I requested specifically information about what could be done for Fraser Primary School, which has had almost all of its playground equipment removed due to concerns about the safety of the equipment. The response provided from the department indicated that there were more schools like Fraser in the same situation and that a specific allocation would not be made, due to the need to assess priorities. (Extension of time granted). Given that these circumstances are not of individual schools' making, I urge the department to do all it can to address the situation urgently and, if necessary, request moneys to be allocated in next year's program.
Madam Speaker, this Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee report has been critical of many aspects of the Government's capital works program for 1993-94. I sincerely hope that many people will learn much as a result of the committee's deliberations and that the process will be considerably improved in time for the committee's consideration of next year's program. Finally, Madam Speaker, it would be remiss of me not to thank the many witnesses who appeared before us at public hearings and who contributed so ably to our deliberations. I would also like to thank, as Mr Lamont and Mr Kaine have done, our secretary, Mr Rod Power, for his continuing tireless efforts to ensure that our committee meets its deadlines and its obligations. That is no mean task at times.
MS ELLIS (8.36): Madam Speaker, I have just a few brief remarks to make, as most of my comments have been covered by the chairman, Mr Lamont. Firstly, I reiterate what I have said in many speeches I have made to this chamber in relation to reports from committees. My learning curve continues to expand in front of me. I am starting to wonder whether I am ever going to reach the end of my learning curve. The examination of the capital works program for this current year and the production of the report in no way misses out in relation to the learning curve. The information that was provided to the committee this year as compared to last year was better; there is no doubt about that. But there is also no doubt, as the recommendations in this report indicate, that an improvement is still required. Even though we sound a little bit cutting in some places in the report in relation to the provision of that information, I think it is important to say that there has been an improvement from last year. On that basis I think we can be optimistic as to the production of that information for next year.
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