Page 495 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 March 2014
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It is a fantastic commitment to this community from this government to provide first-rate internationally-regarded infrastructure for our students. The report continues:
During the current reporting period, the college received certification from the Green Building Council of Australia as a 5 Green Star design school.
During the last annual reporting period it continued to provide wonderful learning opportunities for the community.
Down my way, the new Namadgi School, which I think Mr Barr referred to yesterday, was constructed on the former site of Kambah high. It was opened to preschool to year 7 students. During this period the work has continued to provide excellent facilities for that area. You cannot drive along Drakeford Drive in that area without being impressed by the physical infrastructure that we provide to our students. Harrison School was ready for the start of 2012, catering for students from years 6 to 8, and from the beginning of this year it will cater for students up to year 10.
With respect to other school improvements, I refer to the Canberra College performing arts centre. I refer also to Canberra College cares, a $14 million investment. I had the opportunity to turn the first sod, ably assisted by a young mum and her daughter who is a current student of CCCares. That is exactly why this government is investing in programs such as this—to help these young mums, and some young dads, to make sure that they are not disadvantaged and are supported through those vital years and have a solid education. I am looking forward to CCCares, Canberra College cares, when it formally takes students at its new site in Woden.
We have invested in childcare centres. We have provided significant investment at the Holder childcare site, which will have 120 places.
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra) (11.43), in reply: This motion in its first point notes:
… the important contribution that the development and maintenance of infrastructure plays in underpinning jobs growth by creating a productive and sustainable ACT economy …
Last year the Centre for International Economics, the specialist adviser to the 2013 estimates committee, echoed those remarks:
Delivering the capital works program is likely to require a range of technical skills found in the scientific and technical services sector and construction industries, as well as administrative skills found in the Public Administration and Safety sector.
Approximately half of the ACT workforce is employed in these industries indicating that there could be a considerable pool of resources to draw on for the ACT’s capital works program. Unemployment estimates suggests there is some underutilisation of the workforce in these industries, which makes the capital works program stimulatory to workforce participation and indicates that there is workforce supply capacity to help meet demand.
That is what the specialist budget adviser to the 2013 estimates committee said.
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