Page 1951 - Week 05 - Thursday, 3 May 2012
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MR CORBELL: I do not think any delay in guidelines would have had any impact whatsoever. Guidelines are simply another educative tool available to the industry to allow it to improve the sustainability of its built form. That will vary across the industry. It will vary depending on the needs and desires of clients. It will vary depending on the knowledge and expertise of building practitioners and architects.
That is why in some instances we see some excellent built outcomes across the territory. In other instances we see less than optimal outcomes in terms of the sustainability delivery of those projects. The government will continue to work with industry and engage with them in improving their knowledge and understanding of sustainability principles, including issues around the types of building products that are used in development.
University of Canberra and Canberra Institute of Technology
MR DOSZPOT: My question is to the minister for education. In August last year, the former education minister, Mr Barr, said, in respect of a proposed merger between the University of Canberra and the Canberra Institute of Technology: “The status quo for the CIT and UC is not an option.” Minister, how did we go from the status quo not being an option to now being a policy?
DR BOURKE: I thank the member for his question. Since that time there have been some game changing announcements from the commonwealth—significant announcements. Firstly, the Prime Minister has announced that she wants 375,000 extra Australians to get post-secondary qualifications. Secondly, there has been the announcement of an extra $1.75 billion in vocational education and training reform. Thirdly, there was the announcement of 60,000 HECS-style scholarships so that people embarking upon diploma courses do not have to pay up-front fees. Then, of course, we had the recent COAG announcements—$28 million for vocational education and training in the ACT. This is going to—
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, I have asked; you are now on a warning for interjecting.
DR BOURKE: This is going to be targeted to the traditional trades, where we have significant skills shortages in the fluoro collar area. We are going to be looking for better outcomes in vocational education and training for people with a disability, better outcomes for Indigenous people, as well as reducing the 20 per cent of Canberrans who do not have a post-secondary qualification. Those are the announcements that have come out since August last year, and that is why the position has changed.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, a supplementary.
MR DOSZPOT: I hope you believe all that. Minister, will you advise the Assembly how much the process that we went through to arrive at this non-decision has cost to date, and will you table the relevant documents that highlight how much this has cost?
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