Mr KIELY - 2003-04-30
Minister, prior to becoming an MLA, I was an officer with the NT Department of Education and I travelled around the Territory to quite a number of schools. As an MLA, I also had the pleasure to travel the highway up and down and even visit the local schools in Alice Springs. It really became quite clear to me …
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale!
Mr KIELY: … members of the opposition, that the previous government had a terrible track record of neglecting school infrastructure. Can the minister please update the House on the progress of airconditioning for the Alice Springs High School?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. I am aware of the track record of the previous government; I do not have to highlight it. The reality is that we are going to spend nearly $2m on Alice Springs High School to provide a new refrigerated airconditioner.
When I first come to government and became minister, I was advised that the Alice Springs High School airconditioning needed repair, if not replacement, for the simple reason it was an evaporative unit which had passed its use-by date, and money had to be found to replace it. My question was: ‘How long has it been like that?’ ‘For a long time, minister’. ‘Why was it not fixed?’ ‘There was no money, minister’. It was like a ‘Yes, Minister’ show.
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: Unfortunately, you were the government at the time.
The initial funding of $400 000 was allocated for 2001-02, and that money was spent to upgrade the electrical reticulation of the high school to provide the new unit. $1.2m is going to be spent this financial year to completely upgrade the airconditioning unit from an evaporative to a refrigerated system.
A local company, Condition Air, won the contract. They agreed to work and install the new airconditioner without disrupting the classes. They worked very closely with the school and my department, and this has happened. Very soon the airconditioning contract will be completed and the Alice Springs High School will have a state-of-the-art airconditioner.
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale!
Mr KIELY: … members of the opposition, that the previous government had a terrible track record of neglecting school infrastructure. Can the minister please update the House on the progress of airconditioning for the Alice Springs High School?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. I am aware of the track record of the previous government; I do not have to highlight it. The reality is that we are going to spend nearly $2m on Alice Springs High School to provide a new refrigerated airconditioner.
When I first come to government and became minister, I was advised that the Alice Springs High School airconditioning needed repair, if not replacement, for the simple reason it was an evaporative unit which had passed its use-by date, and money had to be found to replace it. My question was: ‘How long has it been like that?’ ‘For a long time, minister’. ‘Why was it not fixed?’ ‘There was no money, minister’. It was like a ‘Yes, Minister’ show.
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: Unfortunately, you were the government at the time.
The initial funding of $400 000 was allocated for 2001-02, and that money was spent to upgrade the electrical reticulation of the high school to provide the new unit. $1.2m is going to be spent this financial year to completely upgrade the airconditioning unit from an evaporative to a refrigerated system.
A local company, Condition Air, won the contract. They agreed to work and install the new airconditioner without disrupting the classes. They worked very closely with the school and my department, and this has happened. Very soon the airconditioning contract will be completed and the Alice Springs High School will have a state-of-the-art airconditioner.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016