Page 1936 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 June 2015
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In December last year I was proud to stand alongside Ricky Stuart at Chifley as we turned the first sod on the joint construction of a respite centre for children aged up to 11 years. This is a wonderful resource. It is being built with a $1 million investment from the ACT government and more than $400,000 in cash and in-kind support provided through the Ricky Stuart Foundation in partnership with local businesses and local community leaders. The budget builds on that partnership, with the government providing over $1 million to build a second respite property for young people aged between 12 and 18 years of age, with the Ricky Stuart Foundation providing more funds, both in cash and in in-kind services.
The new respite property will provide happy and modern, safe places for young children and young people with disability to spend their time with friends, an environment that will give their families and carers confidence and peace of mind that their loved one is being looked after while they have time off, get to their other family duties and possibly get a bit of time for themselves. I understand that Ricky Stuart was on radio this morning. I would like to thank him for his kind words and repay the compliment by saying that it has been simply amazing to work with him and with his enthusiasm on this project.
Turning to education, the Labor government knows the power of education to change lives for the better. We know that by having a high quality education system, a system recognised nationally and internationally as one of the best, we provide for the future health and prosperity of Canberra.
In this budget we have invested a record $1.1 million in education to make sure that almost 70,000 students across all school sectors continue to have the best education in the country. We are investing $160 million in existing schools and we are providing for new schools in Gungahlin and Molonglo to ensure that our new communities have the facilities they need as they grow.
We will also be spending almost $40 million to replace and upgrade ICT infrastructure, including expanding the wi-fi capabilities across our primary schools. We have announced $18.4 million for Belconnen high, delivering on our election commitment to refurbish that school. I was pleased to be at Belconnen high on Monday to talk with David McCarthy, the principal there. He is delighted to have this investment, as I understand the school board is. I was pleased to be joined there by Ms Berry and Dr Bourke.
It is becoming the standard that Education and Training Directorate projects are delivered on time and under budget. The fact that we can deliver our education commitment at Belconnen high—everything the principal has described as what the school community wants—for less than the original estimate should be applauded, because this is what budgets are about: delivering what is needed to make sure that our principals and teachers can get to do what they do best, that is, to provide the very best education.
Domestic violence is an issue that cannot and ought not to be ignored. It is something that has for too long affected too many in our community and we must not remain
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