Page 2188 - Week 07 - Thursday, 7 August 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, could you outline which other Belconnen schools have received a school fence and how this helps schools in tracking vandalism and other security issues?
MS BURCH: It is recognised that increased security in and around our schools ensures that our facilities are safe for students and there is minimum disruption to our education programs. The decision to install a security fence in a public school is based on evidence of need, including rates of vandalism, the risk of loss or damage to assets, the ease of access or visibility of the school and the proximity to public places.
During 2013-14 security fences were installed in five Belconnen schools—Macgregor Primary School, Maribyrnong, Mount Rogers and Fraser primary schools, and Lake Ginninderra College. Partial or full security fences support other measures, such as electronic security systems, external lighting, security mesh on windows and removing access to climbing points. These measures are effective in reducing the most common breaches of school security, which are break-ins, vandalism, theft and broken windows.
Sixty-five of our 86 public schools now have a partial or full security fence, including 15 of the 23 schools in Belconnen. These enhancements to the schools work. In Belconnen the number of incidents in the first half of this year has been six, which is down from 24 in the same period for the previous year. Three of these six incidents occurred at schools without a security fence. Such a dramatic decline in vandalism in our schools means that more resources are available for our classrooms. The primary purpose of our classrooms is to teach the future generations of Canberra.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, could you update the Assembly on the recent expansion of car parking at schools in Belconnen to ensure school car parks meet the needs of the community and promote a safe school environment?
MS BURCH: I do thank Dr Bourke for his interest in car parking. Car parking is a very important aspect of our school communities. The following works, I can advise, have been completed in recent years at Belconnen schools: Southern Cross Early Childhood School stage 1 has got 35 car spaces. Southern Cross Early Childhood School stage 2 is an overflow car park. Charnwood-Dunlop Primary School has 25 car spaces. Weetangera Primary School has a new overflow car park. At Fraser Primary School 16 car spaces and five set down, pick up spaces have been completed. These programs address issues that impact on the safety of pedestrians, the number of car parking spaces, safe school set down, pick up areas and compliance with ACT parking and vehicular access guidelines.
As part of the Macgregor Primary School expansion works, an additional 20 parking spaces will be provided at the school, with the construction of a new car park at the rear of the school and further spaces created in the existing front car park. These works will be completed this year.
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