Page 2195 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 28 August 2007
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To give the Assembly an outline of that work, the work will commence in October this year and will be completed in time for the 2008 school year. The budget for the works is appropriately $1.6 million. It includes the total internal refurbishment of the old kindergarten to create a new preschool, including an identified area for a special autism unit, the creation of a new playground area for the preschool, an upgrade of the Giralang canteen, improved toilet facilities, upgrades and replacement of carpets and vinyl throughout the school, upgrades to the school’s heating and ventilation system, external and internal painting, and improvements to lighting.
Importantly, a major goal of our upgrades to schools is to improve the environmental sustainability of our schools. We want to reduce costs by retrofitting facilities and equipment to make greater use of renewable energy. Specifically for Giralang, this will mean a solar hot water system for the new preschool area, rainwater tank facilities to provide water to the playgrounds and toilets, energy efficient lighting, and occupant activated lighting within the school building. So it is a major upgrade for Giralang, along with many other primary schools. (Time expired.)
MR SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Gentleman?
MR GENTLEMAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can the minister inform the Assembly about the progress of school infrastructure upgrades for high schools and colleges?
MR BARR: Thank you, Mr Gentleman. I certainly appreciate Mr Gentleman’s interest in schools across the age range. I thank him very much for his interest in high schools and colleges.
The government is undertaking a major refurbishment of high schools and colleges in the ACT. I know that those opposite do not like to hear this—I know that Mrs Dunne has described all of this investment in public education as good money after bad—but, Mr Speaker, you would think that, given that she is not here, perhaps her colleagues might be interested in listening to what is going on in high schools and colleges. Once again, it is only the Australian Labor Party that is interested in upgrading public education facilities.
However, I do note that we have again been able to work in partnership with the commonwealth government. Yesterday, a media release from one of our local senators, Senator Humphries, came across my desk. He is very pleased to be able to partner with the ACT government in three major projects. He is going to be working with us—the commonwealth government is going to be working with us—on Melrose high school. We have already delivered a gymnasium for Melrose high school, in partnership with the commonwealth. Senator Humphries and I were able to open that new facility. I am pleased that the commonwealth are going to contribute $2.3 million to that project, which is outstanding.
In addition, the commonwealth is going to contribute $2.3 million towards the new Gungahlin college, which is again a welcome contribution. So there is $59 million from the ACT and $2 million from the commonwealth. The new Tuggeranong school—another $2.3 million from the commonwealth. We will have $51 million from the ACT and $2.3 million from the commonwealth.
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