Mr TOYNE - 2000-06-20
The Treasurer announced in the budget that Bakewell Primary School in the electorate of Brennan received $710 000 for extra classrooms. With current capacity and projected enrolments, Bakewell school will still be short of accommodation for 150 students, even after the construction program is completed. Do you think it is good enough that two classes are being held on the stage of the school assembly area alongside school sports, and are not the new classrooms, a case of too little too late for the children of Bakewell, when the CLP is spending $500 000 on Foundations for Our Future documents as a higher priority.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is actually quite a good question. It just demonstrates the growth in confidence that people have in the Territory where they keep flocking in to build and settle their families here because they know that the Territory provides one of the best education systems in the country. When people come here and they see the state of the schools, they love it. They reckon we do more things for Territory kids than most other places in Australia. It is a problem keeping up with demand, the growth is so strong. Take Bakewell as an example. We are moving to build extra classrooms in Bakewell that is true. But what we are also doing is building a whole new school at Girraween.
Mr Toyne: What about some demountables ....
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order, order! Both the member for Stuart and the member for Nhulunbuy are over the top and I would ask you to remain silent while the minister answers the question.
Mr LUGG: It is a pity that the alternate education minister would put them all in demountables but this government believes in providing proper premises, adequately resourced schools. We are building schools as fast as responsible government allows. That is a new school at Girraween and I might also add that the Catholic education system is also considering a new school in the Palmerston vicinity. These are just plans at this stage but there are also plans for a new high school in Palmerston.
This government does respond in an adequate and timely way and sometimes we have to make up the difference with short term options, but Bakewell is a brand new school. There has been explosive enrolment growth there and we will build extra classrooms based the same way we cater for all Territory kids and provide the best facilities in this country.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is actually quite a good question. It just demonstrates the growth in confidence that people have in the Territory where they keep flocking in to build and settle their families here because they know that the Territory provides one of the best education systems in the country. When people come here and they see the state of the schools, they love it. They reckon we do more things for Territory kids than most other places in Australia. It is a problem keeping up with demand, the growth is so strong. Take Bakewell as an example. We are moving to build extra classrooms in Bakewell that is true. But what we are also doing is building a whole new school at Girraween.
Mr Toyne: What about some demountables ....
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order, order! Both the member for Stuart and the member for Nhulunbuy are over the top and I would ask you to remain silent while the minister answers the question.
Mr LUGG: It is a pity that the alternate education minister would put them all in demountables but this government believes in providing proper premises, adequately resourced schools. We are building schools as fast as responsible government allows. That is a new school at Girraween and I might also add that the Catholic education system is also considering a new school in the Palmerston vicinity. These are just plans at this stage but there are also plans for a new high school in Palmerston.
This government does respond in an adequate and timely way and sometimes we have to make up the difference with short term options, but Bakewell is a brand new school. There has been explosive enrolment growth there and we will build extra classrooms based the same way we cater for all Territory kids and provide the best facilities in this country.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016