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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 09 Hansard (Thursday, 19 August 2004) . . Page.. 3926 ..

only maintaining and improving established facilities but also looking to the emerging needs of the Canberra community.

The new primary school in Amaroo—a total project, with the high school, of over $34 million—opened in January 2004. The high school will open in January 2005. They are essential facilities for the Gungahlin community. Amaroo school has been designed to meet the needs of students and teachers, with flexible learning spaces and a range of specialist facilities such as computing, drama, music and science. The school also features innovative, environmentally sustainable design elements such as underground rain water storage tanks, hydronic in-slab heating and the proposed wind turbine at the high school.

The evolving needs of the community have been addressed through the provision of transportable classrooms, with nearly $4 million in funds for additional classrooms facilities at Gold Creek senior campus, eight classrooms; Palmerston primary school, four classrooms; Ngunnawal primary school, two classrooms; Garran primary school, two classrooms; and a special facility at Cranleigh school.

This government is also investing in Canberra’s older schools, with $7.8 million in approved funds through the older schools upgrade program. This initiative provides major refurbishment of older schools to ensure that building fabric is restored and major engineering services and systems are fully operational and improved to current standards. Programs currently approved or under way include Lyneham high school, Dickson college, Turner primary school, Red Hill primary school, Majura primary school and Lyneham primary school.

Maintaining and upgrading older school buildings is not only a question of improving functions, it is an important part of creating conditions for effective teaching and learning. Our investment in school capital works reflects the value we place on education and the work of teachers and students.

We have a state-of-the-art facility at the Centre for Teaching and Learning, another important investment for the Canberra community. With the relocation of the Centre for Teaching and Learning to upgraded premises at the old Stirling college, this state-of-the-art facility provides our teachers with high-quality, professional learning and a comprehensive library. It is available to teachers in both government and non-government sectors.

Over $2.1 million has been appropriated for Birrigai for the rebuilding and expansion of the outdoor education centre following the bushfires. Since the bushfires Birrigai has been providing outdoor education from various sites around Canberra, such as the original Paddys River site, Dairy Flat, Jerrabomberra Wetlands, Botanic Gardens and individual schools.

With regard to safety, the government is ensuring our schools are safe places for our students, staff and the community, with $3.3 million in approved funds for the ongoing safety improvement program. The program targets items such as the replacement of non-compliant glass, the provision of new softfall material in playgrounds, roof access and safe working harness and anchor systems and ladder safety points.

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