Mr BALDWIN - 1994-10-12
My Question relates to the matter of accommodation for out-of-town students who attend Katherine schools. I understand that a new boarding facility is required as a matter of urgency. Has support been forthcoming from the federal government on this issue?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the member for Victoria River has a genuine interest in the Katherine House facility, as has the member for Katherine himself. The current facility is stretched to the limit. It is not appropriately located and is unable to expand its current capacity any further. Following a very thorough investigation by the Education Advisory Committee, the recommendations were not only for a new locality and an increase in size, but also that it ought to be operated by a private organisation, preferably Frontier Services, a group belonging to the Uniting Church. Negotiations between the Department of Education and the Uniting Church or Frontier Services ensued for quite some time because, quite frankly, Frontier Services had had its fingers burnt in connection with many similar facilities in Queensland and in fact was closing a number of hostels.
As we have done with Yirara College and Kormilda College, in effect the Territory government provided a safety net for the Uniting Church in this instance. Obviously, the government would not see the private organisation collapse if it became a matter of financial strain. We expected the facilities to be run in a private fashion. The benefits of Frontier Services' organisational efficiencies and, more importantly, the extended pastoral care that can derive from such an organisation were paramount in the minds of not only the EAC but also the Isolated Children's Parents Association which, incidentally, will have its AGM in Katherine tonight. They are very keen to hear about the progress of this facility. Two budgets ago, the government committed its share of the funds.
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We believe that, as a private organisation, the Uniting Church ought to attract both Territory and federal government funding. Despite numerous approaches to the federal government, formal applications by the church and an appeal against the decision, the federal Department of Employment, Education and Training rejected the applications from Katherine House. I will quote from DEET's recent letter to the Uniting Church. There was an appeal to DEET. I quote from the First Assistant Secretary's letter to Dr Peter Harris. It refers to NT government commitments:
These commitments exceed those given to other non-government institutions providing accommodation for school students. That the proposed hostel will be separately
incorporated and operated by the Uniting Church does not detract from the fact that it is in effect a directly placed and fully existing government hostel.
What a load of nonsense! DEET acknowledges that the Territory government is doing more probably than any other state or territory government in terms of providing safety nets and support for private institutions to run these types of facilities, yet it has refused any responsibility for or any commitment to this project.
I know that the church and the proponents have been to see Hon Warren Snowdon who is Parliamentary Secretary to the minister. There have been offers, I understand, to see Senator Collins in his very influential capacity in this regard but, as can be seen from that letter, it has all been to no avail. However, the matter should not rest there. It should be proceeded with because it is not merely a matter of the kids of some rich pastoralists who want to be in Katherine to attend school. These days, it is a matter of people who want to have their children educated a little closer to home rather than interstate or in Darwin. It is not only the pastoralists.
A growing number of Aboriginal students from Borroloola, for example, are already in Katherine. I have met some of those students when I have been there. I understand that Aboriginal children in Western Australia want to come to Katherine House when it is completed. A broad cross-section of students are affected. Katherine has the facilities to offer quality education through the government school system and what is needed is the immediate construction of an expanded Katherine House. In the interests of those remote and rural dwelling people, I will not let this matter rest there.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the member for Victoria River has a genuine interest in the Katherine House facility, as has the member for Katherine himself. The current facility is stretched to the limit. It is not appropriately located and is unable to expand its current capacity any further. Following a very thorough investigation by the Education Advisory Committee, the recommendations were not only for a new locality and an increase in size, but also that it ought to be operated by a private organisation, preferably Frontier Services, a group belonging to the Uniting Church. Negotiations between the Department of Education and the Uniting Church or Frontier Services ensued for quite some time because, quite frankly, Frontier Services had had its fingers burnt in connection with many similar facilities in Queensland and in fact was closing a number of hostels.
As we have done with Yirara College and Kormilda College, in effect the Territory government provided a safety net for the Uniting Church in this instance. Obviously, the government would not see the private organisation collapse if it became a matter of financial strain. We expected the facilities to be run in a private fashion. The benefits of Frontier Services' organisational efficiencies and, more importantly, the extended pastoral care that can derive from such an organisation were paramount in the minds of not only the EAC but also the Isolated Children's Parents Association which, incidentally, will have its AGM in Katherine tonight. They are very keen to hear about the progress of this facility. Two budgets ago, the government committed its share of the funds.
Page 231
We believe that, as a private organisation, the Uniting Church ought to attract both Territory and federal government funding. Despite numerous approaches to the federal government, formal applications by the church and an appeal against the decision, the federal Department of Employment, Education and Training rejected the applications from Katherine House. I will quote from DEET's recent letter to the Uniting Church. There was an appeal to DEET. I quote from the First Assistant Secretary's letter to Dr Peter Harris. It refers to NT government commitments:
These commitments exceed those given to other non-government institutions providing accommodation for school students. That the proposed hostel will be separately
incorporated and operated by the Uniting Church does not detract from the fact that it is in effect a directly placed and fully existing government hostel.
What a load of nonsense! DEET acknowledges that the Territory government is doing more probably than any other state or territory government in terms of providing safety nets and support for private institutions to run these types of facilities, yet it has refused any responsibility for or any commitment to this project.
I know that the church and the proponents have been to see Hon Warren Snowdon who is Parliamentary Secretary to the minister. There have been offers, I understand, to see Senator Collins in his very influential capacity in this regard but, as can be seen from that letter, it has all been to no avail. However, the matter should not rest there. It should be proceeded with because it is not merely a matter of the kids of some rich pastoralists who want to be in Katherine to attend school. These days, it is a matter of people who want to have their children educated a little closer to home rather than interstate or in Darwin. It is not only the pastoralists.
A growing number of Aboriginal students from Borroloola, for example, are already in Katherine. I have met some of those students when I have been there. I understand that Aboriginal children in Western Australia want to come to Katherine House when it is completed. A broad cross-section of students are affected. Katherine has the facilities to offer quality education through the government school system and what is needed is the immediate construction of an expanded Katherine House. In the interests of those remote and rural dwelling people, I will not let this matter rest there.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016