Page 978 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 25 February 2009
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demonstrate their ability to be completed within the specified time frame will not be funded.
So we are talking about the actions that this government can take to ensure every ACT student in every ACT school benefits from this package. At the moment we are focused on cutting planning red tape to help schools secure their funding and to ensure that these projects are built.
In this regard, I draw the attention of the chamber, particularly those opposite, to the next part of the guidelines, which state that when funding applications are submitted to the commonwealth in the first round of funding “schools with projects for which relevant planning and approval processes are already well advanced”, when the funding applications are submitted, “may be preferred over other applications”.
To demonstrate the urgency, let us again take the example of a school that wants to build a new gymnasium in round 1 of the funding process. This is a major project for any individual school. The bid needs to be with the commonwealth for approval by the end of April this year, at the latest, and work must start no later than June this year and must be completed by December 2010. If schools cannot meet these deadlines, they miss out.
That is why the government is proposing a series of sensible regulations, to ensure that ACT schools are able to submit their funding applications to the commonwealth. This government is proposing to make sensible arrangements to ensure that schools have their best chance to share in this magnificent commonwealth funding. The government is aware that other states and territories, like Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia either have made or will make arrangements similar to what the ACT government is proposing. We have the support of every education stakeholder.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Porter, a supplementary question?
MS PORTER: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Would the minister advise the Assembly about the consultations he has conducted with the community and advise the next steps the ACT government will take to ensure ACT schools can take full advantage of federal Labor’s stimulus package?
MR BARR: Thank you, Ms Porter, for the supplementary question. To ensure that the package is as effective as possible in protecting the jobs of Canberrans and further improving our education system, the government has been consulting extensively with the community and key stakeholder groups. We have consulted with every public school community. I have met with the P&C associations, the AEU and the principals association.
Last week, through the jobs and education round table, I consulted with the ACT independent schools association, the Catholic Education Office and the ACT Block Grant Authority. Today, at the request of the opposition, we have provided them and also the Greens with a briefing on the sensible arrangements the government proposes to put in place to give our schools the best chance to achieve their share of the funding.
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