Mrs BRAHAM - 2007-10-09
The staff and parents of ANZAC Hill High School were stunned and dismayed by the information given to them by a departmental representative that Cabinet was again considering the use of ANZAC Hill High School for a youth intervention facility and that it would close.
The only response you gave, minister, was that you looked forward to ANZAC Hill welcoming students for 2008. Will you give a categorical assurance that you will not close ANZAC Hill and that the youth intervention facility will be placed elsewhere? Can you put on public record your real intention is for the future of ANZAC Hill High School?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. I can certainly say as minister for Education in the Northern Territory, and I am sure I speak for my colleagues on this side of the House, the most important thing that we can do in government is to ensure the best possible educational facilities and programs for our students across the Northern Territory. That means that all of the time, we are looking to provide the best possible facilities and programs.
This is a complex issue. The Chief Minister did announce recently, after the Crime Summit in Alice Springs, that there would be a youth intervention facility or centre in Alice Springs. One of the biggest single issues facing the people of Alice Springs, which the member for Braitling would obviously know as she probably attended the crime forum, is the call from the people in Alice Springs for a more proactive intervention in regards to the numbers of young people …
Mr Wood: What happened to the cattle station?
Mr HENDERSON: Member for Nelson, I would appreciate if you would listen to the answer to what was a very important question and give respect to your colleague, the member for Braitling, who is interested in education facilities in Alice Springs instead of your inane mutterings from your seat.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, the call from the people of Alice Springs is for more proactive intervention and a facility, a centre, in Alice Springs to engage youth who are on the street engaging in antisocial behaviour and finding a way to provide interventions for these kids to turn them around and get them back into school and the community.
A lot of work is being undertaken across government looking at what this centre may actually look like, how it would operate and where it would run from. No decisions have been taken yet on any of these things. Government is looking at all of the facilities it owns in Alice Springs. As taxpayers, the people of Alice Springs would expect that we look at the best use of those facilities and a lot of work is being done in that regard. This is a priority issue for the people of Alice Springs. For me, as Education minister, the priority issue is to ensure the best possible education facilities and programs for our students.
I have given the parents, teachers and students of ANZAC Hill High School a total commitment that, in terms of a whole of Northern Territory approach to teaching and learning, the provision of middle schooling will occur in Alice Springs at ANZAC Hill High School as planned in 2008. That is an absolute undertaking as opposed to the rumours, and they were only rumours, being circulated at the time.
In respect of what the youth intervention facility may be, how it will be run and from where it will be run, those decisions are still to be taken by government and will be taken in full consultation with the people of Alice Springs.
The only response you gave, minister, was that you looked forward to ANZAC Hill welcoming students for 2008. Will you give a categorical assurance that you will not close ANZAC Hill and that the youth intervention facility will be placed elsewhere? Can you put on public record your real intention is for the future of ANZAC Hill High School?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her question. I can certainly say as minister for Education in the Northern Territory, and I am sure I speak for my colleagues on this side of the House, the most important thing that we can do in government is to ensure the best possible educational facilities and programs for our students across the Northern Territory. That means that all of the time, we are looking to provide the best possible facilities and programs.
This is a complex issue. The Chief Minister did announce recently, after the Crime Summit in Alice Springs, that there would be a youth intervention facility or centre in Alice Springs. One of the biggest single issues facing the people of Alice Springs, which the member for Braitling would obviously know as she probably attended the crime forum, is the call from the people in Alice Springs for a more proactive intervention in regards to the numbers of young people …
Mr Wood: What happened to the cattle station?
Mr HENDERSON: Member for Nelson, I would appreciate if you would listen to the answer to what was a very important question and give respect to your colleague, the member for Braitling, who is interested in education facilities in Alice Springs instead of your inane mutterings from your seat.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, the call from the people of Alice Springs is for more proactive intervention and a facility, a centre, in Alice Springs to engage youth who are on the street engaging in antisocial behaviour and finding a way to provide interventions for these kids to turn them around and get them back into school and the community.
A lot of work is being undertaken across government looking at what this centre may actually look like, how it would operate and where it would run from. No decisions have been taken yet on any of these things. Government is looking at all of the facilities it owns in Alice Springs. As taxpayers, the people of Alice Springs would expect that we look at the best use of those facilities and a lot of work is being done in that regard. This is a priority issue for the people of Alice Springs. For me, as Education minister, the priority issue is to ensure the best possible education facilities and programs for our students.
I have given the parents, teachers and students of ANZAC Hill High School a total commitment that, in terms of a whole of Northern Territory approach to teaching and learning, the provision of middle schooling will occur in Alice Springs at ANZAC Hill High School as planned in 2008. That is an absolute undertaking as opposed to the rumours, and they were only rumours, being circulated at the time.
In respect of what the youth intervention facility may be, how it will be run and from where it will be run, those decisions are still to be taken by government and will be taken in full consultation with the people of Alice Springs.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016