Mr MILLS - 2002-11-27
Bakewell Primary School has 24 classes and 20 classrooms. Two of the four un-accommodated classes use the school stage. Another operates from a community room and a fourth class operates from the teachers’ staff room. The after school care and parent groups use the medical store room. There is only the cleaning closet left. When can the students and the staff expect a resolution to this intolerable situation?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the other half of the team for the question, the Burke and Mills team, and this time it is the B messenger. I want to take him back to a time probably before he was elected and there was quite a sizeable military build-up projected for the Northern Territory. In fact, it started to unroll and it was quite apparent to most observers that there was going to be an increase in population, and increase in demand for infrastructure. It was at the time, at least on one occasion, when I was seeking to find out about the funding for the multi-purpose hall in Nhulunbuy - the only high school in the Northern Territory that had not been funded for that project out of all of the high schools in the Northern Territory - and I was seeking an answer as to whether we would get it in whichever forthcoming budget it was. The answer from the then minister, minister Adamson, was that we had outstanding infrastructure needs in Palmerston. We could not keep pace, and we had to put further demountables there to keep pace with the increasing enrolments in these schools.
Now, you have to ask yourself how on earth with the projected future demand - there was no secret that Robertson Barracks and the military build-up was increasing apace - and this former government never looked ahead, never realised, oh, oh, the army is coming …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: … families have kids, kids need schools, oh my God, we have run out of space. And he comes in here and says what are you doing about it. It is no secret …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, please resume your seat. You are getting out of hand. Leader of the Opposition, you are on a warning. I have asked you already not to interject so much.
A member: Hear, hear.
Madam SPEAKER: And you, member for Karama, because your interjections have been out of place today, also.
Ms Lawrie: I actually did not say anything. I did not say anything.
A member interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: It was you, was it? Okay. Then perhaps you best be careful. Now, come on, I know it is the end of the year. There could be a little bit of goodwill in the House. When ministers are given questions let at least the population hear the answer.
Mr STIRLING: Thank you, Madam Speaker and I will get to the answer. Bakewell Primary School is one that is at capacity and facing an increase in enrolments, as the member for Blain points out, due to the release of further land in that area. But also due to the incumbent principal there. She is an outstanding principal, highly regarded throughout the whole department and does a great job in that school. It is a school I have visited three times in this past 12 months. It is projected to increase in both pre- and primary schools. A permanent preschool capacity of 100 student places; a primary capacity of 480.
DEET has provided an additional four transportables since that school opened, taking that primary capacity up to 600. In line with the DEET Infrastructure Strategic Plan, schools for Rosebery and Farrar have been planned as far as the Capital Works and Forward Works programs, but until such time as those schools are constructed, DEET will have to continue to manage the enrolment for these emerging suburbs in this form of transportable accommodation.
To address that immediate demand at Bakewell, DEET has provision on the current 2002-03 Minor New Works program for the construction of two transportables. That came in at an estimate of about $350 000 in addition to classrooms and toilet facilities to be considered for the 2003-04 Minor New Works program should that demand continue. Whilst Bakewell is in this situation, not all of the primary schools in this area are in this situation.
The school’s consultant has identified a further need, and that is to upgrade the power that bring these extra buildings and classrooms on site and that is in the order of $150 000 which was not provided for in the $350 000 for the two transportable classrooms. That is an unforeseen item, and DEET has to rearrange the priorities and absorb that contingency into the 2002-03 Minor New Works program so that we do get those two on site with that increase in power capacity. That is a priority.
The school’s consultants also advise the proposed toilet block and covered walkway that were to be included with the transportable classrooms can be deferred to the 2003-04 Minor New Works program. That program is currently being developed, and that will be submitted for both ministerial and DEET executive board consideration as part of the 2003-04 budget.
The school has asked their consultant to proceed with tender documentation. It is expected that the classrooms will be completed early in 2003. The covered walkways may be reintroduced in that first round if the tenders come down around that estimated price.
But to go back to the start, Madam Speaker, this is in hand. It is a situation that has been developing for many years before this government was elected last year. It just seems whoa! suddenly there is this Army base and all these people, and my God, we have done nothing about it. We are doing our best to catch up with the lack of planning, the lack of foresight that occurred under our predecessors.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the other half of the team for the question, the Burke and Mills team, and this time it is the B messenger. I want to take him back to a time probably before he was elected and there was quite a sizeable military build-up projected for the Northern Territory. In fact, it started to unroll and it was quite apparent to most observers that there was going to be an increase in population, and increase in demand for infrastructure. It was at the time, at least on one occasion, when I was seeking to find out about the funding for the multi-purpose hall in Nhulunbuy - the only high school in the Northern Territory that had not been funded for that project out of all of the high schools in the Northern Territory - and I was seeking an answer as to whether we would get it in whichever forthcoming budget it was. The answer from the then minister, minister Adamson, was that we had outstanding infrastructure needs in Palmerston. We could not keep pace, and we had to put further demountables there to keep pace with the increasing enrolments in these schools.
Now, you have to ask yourself how on earth with the projected future demand - there was no secret that Robertson Barracks and the military build-up was increasing apace - and this former government never looked ahead, never realised, oh, oh, the army is coming …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: … families have kids, kids need schools, oh my God, we have run out of space. And he comes in here and says what are you doing about it. It is no secret …
Mr Burke interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, please resume your seat. You are getting out of hand. Leader of the Opposition, you are on a warning. I have asked you already not to interject so much.
A member: Hear, hear.
Madam SPEAKER: And you, member for Karama, because your interjections have been out of place today, also.
Ms Lawrie: I actually did not say anything. I did not say anything.
A member interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: It was you, was it? Okay. Then perhaps you best be careful. Now, come on, I know it is the end of the year. There could be a little bit of goodwill in the House. When ministers are given questions let at least the population hear the answer.
Mr STIRLING: Thank you, Madam Speaker and I will get to the answer. Bakewell Primary School is one that is at capacity and facing an increase in enrolments, as the member for Blain points out, due to the release of further land in that area. But also due to the incumbent principal there. She is an outstanding principal, highly regarded throughout the whole department and does a great job in that school. It is a school I have visited three times in this past 12 months. It is projected to increase in both pre- and primary schools. A permanent preschool capacity of 100 student places; a primary capacity of 480.
DEET has provided an additional four transportables since that school opened, taking that primary capacity up to 600. In line with the DEET Infrastructure Strategic Plan, schools for Rosebery and Farrar have been planned as far as the Capital Works and Forward Works programs, but until such time as those schools are constructed, DEET will have to continue to manage the enrolment for these emerging suburbs in this form of transportable accommodation.
To address that immediate demand at Bakewell, DEET has provision on the current 2002-03 Minor New Works program for the construction of two transportables. That came in at an estimate of about $350 000 in addition to classrooms and toilet facilities to be considered for the 2003-04 Minor New Works program should that demand continue. Whilst Bakewell is in this situation, not all of the primary schools in this area are in this situation.
The school’s consultant has identified a further need, and that is to upgrade the power that bring these extra buildings and classrooms on site and that is in the order of $150 000 which was not provided for in the $350 000 for the two transportable classrooms. That is an unforeseen item, and DEET has to rearrange the priorities and absorb that contingency into the 2002-03 Minor New Works program so that we do get those two on site with that increase in power capacity. That is a priority.
The school’s consultants also advise the proposed toilet block and covered walkway that were to be included with the transportable classrooms can be deferred to the 2003-04 Minor New Works program. That program is currently being developed, and that will be submitted for both ministerial and DEET executive board consideration as part of the 2003-04 budget.
The school has asked their consultant to proceed with tender documentation. It is expected that the classrooms will be completed early in 2003. The covered walkways may be reintroduced in that first round if the tenders come down around that estimated price.
But to go back to the start, Madam Speaker, this is in hand. It is a situation that has been developing for many years before this government was elected last year. It just seems whoa! suddenly there is this Army base and all these people, and my God, we have done nothing about it. We are doing our best to catch up with the lack of planning, the lack of foresight that occurred under our predecessors.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016