Page 206 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 1990
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MR KAINE: Yes.
Tuggeranong Educational Facilities
MRS NOLAN: My question is also in relation to education and I direct my question to the Minister responsible, Mr Humphries. Can the Minister inform the Assembly of community response to the Government's education initiatives in the Tuggeranong area?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank the member for her question and acknowledge her keen interest in the question of education in the Tuggeranong Valley. By way of preface to my answer I want to outline some of the Government's education initiatives in the Tuggeranong area for the benefit of other members of the Assembly.
There are two, of course, as members are well aware. A college campus is opening for the Tuggeranong Valley at Lake Tuggeranong College in the very near future. It cost $18m and provides valuable community facilities for the people of Tuggeranong. With a capacity of 800 students this facility, as well as Calwell High School, will be meeting the dynamic growth of the Tuggeranong community for years to come.
The community's response to these initiatives has been extremely warm. Students have been voting with their feet and demand for places at Lake Tuggeranong has far outstripped the places available there. I must admit to some surprise at the breadth of support that has been forthcoming for the initiatives in this area. I want to cite particularly the comments of Mr Paul Whalan in the Tuggeranong Valley View of 24 January this year - only three weeks ago, just to remind members. In an article in the Tuggeranong Valley View he cited the opening of the Tuggeranong Secondary College and the Calwell High School as:
"a highly visible guarantee of the ACT Government's commitment to public schooling in the fastest-growing area of Canberra".
I want to thank Mr Whalan for his ringing endorsement and assure him that the best is yet to come.
The Government is determined to ensure that the ACT public education system retains its premier position in the nation. The Government will not only continue to maintain top class capital stock but will also move to implement a range of quality education initiatives such as improving literacy and numeracy skills, school based management and a schools council.
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