Page 1849 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 22 August 2007
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school a wealth of experience within the ACT education system, most recently as principal of the Cranleigh School in Holt.
The expansion of education facilities in the suburb of Harrison provides a tremendous opportunity for that community to be involved, as it has been from the commencement of the design work of the new facility and through the construction phase. I had the opportunity to be on site today with the new principal and some of the prospective school students and their families. The facility we are establishing at Harrison will set a new benchmark for public education facilities in the territory. It is an outstanding building. It is one that will enable state-of-the-art information technology. It will enable a variety of wonderful education opportunities for students at the school.
Through the government’s $23 million investment in this school and through the leadership of the new principal, Mr Yarrington, we are going to see more than 450 students attend this new school. I can advise the Assembly that already we have 66 enrolments for preschool, 64 for kindergarten and 21 in years 1 to 6, before we have even gone to the very formal process of seeking enrolments. There will be further information nights for parents in the region. They are planned for September. I can advise that one will occur on the 11th.
What is occurring in Harrison is a reflection of what is possible through the government’s education investment. Through the difficult decisions that were made in 2006 to reprioritise expenditure within the education portfolio and to put new school infrastructure in areas of high demand, we have—
Mr Stefaniak: Point of order. The minister has completely strayed from the question, which was to name the new principal.
MR SPEAKER: I do not think the minister was asked to name the new principal.
MR BARR: I was asked in relation to the $23 million new school at Harrison.
MR SPEAKER: The minister may continue.
MR BARR: I know the opposition does not want to hear about this investment. We know the view of the opposition. We know Mrs Dunne has already categorised every dollar that the government is spending on public education as throwing good money after bad. We know that—we heard that quote.
Mrs Dunne: No, I did not.
MR BARR: We heard the quote.
Mrs Dunne: Potentially throwing good money after bad.
MR SPEAKER: Order! I warn you, Mrs Dunne. The minister will return to the subject matter of the question and leave Mrs Dunne out of it.
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