Page 1218 - Week 04 - Thursday, 4 May 2006
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
education at the primary, secondary and college level across all regions in the territory. It is inevitable as demographics change and the number of enrolments in particular parts of the city change that the provision of educational facilities will need to change. There will, for example, be a requirement for additional schools in Gungahlin. In other parts of Canberra there will be a requirement to change the current configuration of schooling. But the fundamental point that I make and that I will continue to make is that what we need to achieve is the highest possible educational quality across the system, and the current arrangements are working against that.
As I alluded to yesterday, the cost of educating a primary school student in a school that is operating at capacity is on average $8,000 per annum.
Mr Smyth: Table the document. Table the proof.
MR BARR: I am referring just to notes. This is the advice that I have from the education department. That cost rises to $18,000 per annum in a school operating with fewer than 100 students. Any minister, in making decisions for the future and in looking forward to where the public education system needs to be in five, 10, 15 years time, would have to take account of those realities. But we also need—and I am very conscious of this—to engage fully with all of the affected communities in any process of change.
As I alluded to in my inaugural speech, this city cannot stay as it was in the 1970s. There is a requirement, as demographics change and as the city changes, for us to make changes in the provision of education. I welcome anyone who is prepared to engage constructively in this debate and anyone who brings goodwill and good heart towards seeing the strongest public education system in this territory. I will engage fully with anyone who wishes to undertake such a process. But if all it is going to be is a game of hit lists and a game of trying to undermine the new minister then I am not going to participate. But if you are genuine, Mrs Dunne, in your desire to see public education in those areas move ahead, I will welcome your involvement and I will be happy to engage with you.
MRS DUNNE: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, in the spirit of engagement and involvement, will you table for the information of the Assembly the workings behind the advice that you have given on a couple occasions now about the costs of small schools?
MR BARR: During the process that we will be undertaking in the months ahead I absolutely undertake to make public all of the information on which decisions are based. I have no problems with that at all. It will be a public process.
Mrs Dunne: Will you table it today?
MR BARR: I may not be in a position to. I will not commit my office or the department at this point. All I have are my own notes that I typed myself. I have read them out, so perhaps that is not going to be particularly useful to you. It is already in the Hansard.
I will undertake throughout this process to engage publicly and openly. I believe the community deserves no less. I am sure that were I not to be open in this process, you lot, Dr Foskey and many others would be at me, and quite rightly would be at me, for not
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .