Page 373 - Week 01 - Thursday, 16 February 2012
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The Greens will always support quality investments and we will respond to issues relating to schools’ needs in a timely fashion. We believe in listening to stakeholder views and concerns and being proactive in identifying when and where schools funding needs to be directed.
The Greens support the vital role of public school education in the ACT. We support the importance of making and supporting quality and timely investments in the bricks and mortar and the other facilities that are provided for our students right across the ACT.
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Corrections) (4.33): I too rise to speak on the very important topic of the need to make and support quality and timely investments in school infrastructure. I thank Mr Hargreaves for bringing this matter of public importance to the attention of the Assembly. I know of Mr Hargreaves’s commitment to school education and I know he most strongly believes every child deserves a great education in a great city.
I am happy to be part of a government, part of the Labor government, that has invested more than any other government on school infrastructure. As Mr Hargreaves indicated, over the last six years Labor has delivered capital investments in ACT public schools worth over half a billion dollars. We have invested in every school. Every existing ACT public school has benefited from significant funding to improve their staff and student facilities.
As Mr Hargreaves mentioned, our existing public schools have received a plethora of new fit-outs and new facilities. Through the recently completed schools infrastructure refurbishment project, Labor spent $162.1 million on Canberra public schools. There was something there for every government school and every student.
In Gungahlin, public schools received new classrooms, security upgrades, shade sails and air conditioning. In Belconnen, schools received new teaching spaces, classrooms, security upgrades, a gym, a science area, shade shelters, libraries, art rooms, photo labs, drama and music areas, computer labs and computers, bike enclosures, a band room, a boiler and toilets.
In central Canberra, new canteens, new classrooms, new toilets, car park upgrades, a new lift, landscaping, achievement centres, a boiler, new air conditioning, computer labs, new science labs, new roofing, disabled access, a drama area, a new languages centre and security fencing have all been built.
Woden and Weston Creek schools have new evaporative coolers, new classrooms, new air conditioning, a new kindergarten area, new shade sails, new admin areas, a refurbished autism area, toilet upgrades, security fencing and soundproofing.
In Tuggeranong, an area I know is dear to Mr Hargreaves’s heart, we have got new toilets, an achievement centre, security fencing, air conditioning, gym and pool upgrades, canteen upgrades, library upgrades, more disabled access, landscaping, a performance arts centre and car parks.
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