Page 438 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 December 2008
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funding and the broad scope. The P&C association has suggested that the funds could be spent by various schools on initiatives such as the following: greening the schools, literacy and numeracy programs, enlarging and securing bike racks, shade areas and that one special school may use the money for a garden for special needs kids, be wheelchair accessible and have sensory plants and so forth. The replacement of the hydrotherapy pool roof at Turner primary is a necessary expenditure. The P&C association has noted that many schools have problems with their roofs. The hydrotherapy pool provides a vital therapeutic facility for many children with a disability who attend the school. It is obviously essential work that has to be carried out.
I had some questions about the business improvement spending in this bill. I wondered why this particular spending was considered a priority and was advised that the expenses need to be met concurrently with the expenses of establishing a Department of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water at Macarthur House. Minister, you have just addressed this point—that this allows the department of education staff to shift into 220 Northbourne Avenue to join other elements of the department in that location.
I agree with the consolidation of staff into a few buildings. It does make sense to have staff together and not at different buildings in different locations. This saves time and money. We are also very supportive of the new department—it does need accommodation—and of that department being accommodated in one area. I will be following up on some of those other issues I mentioned in the upcoming annual reports hearings.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (10.00): Minister, thank you for your explanation on the business improvement. It is great to get that level of detail. Again I make the point, at the risk of being tediously repetitious, that this is what we should be able to explore—a proper process with officials present. I am referring to the bottom of page 115 of the document. It says, “This initiative provides money for consolidation of debt, administrative and school support staff which is now enabled because of movements.” I understand that. It goes on to say, “This will allow for a reduction in the number of sites held by DET.”
Are they only losing the one site in Northbourne Avenue or are there other sites closing? If so, which are they?
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation) (10.01): I can easily answer that. It is only the one site. The other sites that the department operates are the Centre for Teaching and Learning. It is a part of what was the Stirling College campus; it is now the Weston campus of Canberra College. They have an annex in Higgins that is currently used for teacher recruitment and curriculum support for physical education and sports programs and it was where the Pacific School Games team operated from. There is the Maribyrnong Centre at Kaleen which is used for hearing and vision support functions. The Lyons Education Centre is used by the BSSS and the Students Services Directorate and there is a storage facility for education records at the Fyshwick annex in Fyshwick.
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