Page 724 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 17 March 2015
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, what was the school’s response to the proposal?
MR BARR: The school have welcomed an $800,000 boost to their sporting facilities, but, as I acknowledged in my previous answer, not everyone is as happy with the fact that those facilities will be built within the existing school footprint and that this outcome does require a childcare-sized parcel of land being made available for child care.
But what it will also allow is a range of improvements in that precinct, particularly to traffic flows, to assist with both pick-up and drop-off times associated with the school and the childcare centre, recognising that those are busy times and that Telopea does attract students from around the territory. So there is a need to work on that particular issue. A part of this package, I guess, is to be able to improve access to and egress from the various sites.
But let us be clear: the tennis courts are to become a childcare centre and new courts will be built. So whilst I acknowledge the loss of a parcel of land the size of a childcare centre and surrounds, I think there is a valid reason for this and there is a net community benefit in that there will be more childcare places in a purpose-built facility in the inner south. Telopea school will get new tennis courts and other sporting facilities and the Services Club has a new home. So I think that overall, on balance, acknowledging that everyone is not 100 per cent happy, it is a good outcome for the community overall.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Chief Minister, is this the final arrangement or will there be further discussions with regard to the compensation package for the loss of land?
MR BARR: The government will of course continue to work closely with all of the affected parties in order to achieve the outcome that we are desiring; that is, of course—and I repeat—a new home for the Services Club, enhanced high quality childcare facilities and enhanced and high quality sporting facilities. We will see, as we move into the detail phase of construction, whether the allocations that have been made at this point are sufficient. So I am not ruling out there being some minor change, but equally I do not want to send a signal that there will be radical change, because there will not be. We need to resolve this. The Services Club have been waiting for a long time. In this year, the centenary of Anzac, I think it is appropriate that we find a new home for the Services Club.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Chief Minister, were there any other options presented or was there just a single option presented with regard to the relocation of the tennis courts?
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