❓ Mr. Healy asks about the government's record on education infrastructure and workforce development. Ms. Winton highlights significant investments in school maintenance and infrastructure, contrasting it with the previous government's record and emphasizing TAFE accessibility for a skilled workforce.
AnsweredQoN 499Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Education—Funding and resources499.Mr Terry Healyto
the Minister for Education:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's strong record in delivering quality education infrastructure
and services across Western Australia.(1) Can the minister further advise the house how
this government is building on that record?(2) Can the minister advise how the government is
ensuring that we have a skilled workforce to deliver these important projects
and boost local jobs?
the Minister for Education:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's strong record in delivering quality education infrastructure
and services across Western Australia.(1) Can the minister further advise the house how
this government is building on that record?(2) Can the minister advise how the government is
ensuring that we have a skilled workforce to deliver these important projects
and boost local jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2025
Response time
0 days
Ms Sabine Winton replied:(1)–(2) I thank the member for Southern
River for the question. He is another teacher on this side of the chamber who
values and knows the importance of public education.Members,
I have had the opportunity in answering questions from those opposite during
question time tosay this, but I am happy to repeat it: since coming to
government, we have invested over $1 billion into maintenance in our public
education system. It is a significant investment that we know is making sure
that our schools are well supported and have great environments for our
teachers and for our students to learn. Of course, over the next four years, we
will invest $1.7 billion in school infrastructure, including $669 million in
this year's budget alone, which almost doubles the annual infrastructure spend
prior to our coming to government. It is an important distinction to make. With
over 330,000 students in our 833 public schools, we know that these buildings
have high maintenance requirements and require sustained and ongoing investment
each and every year. We know, though, that those schools were neglected under
the previous government. I know it to be a fact personally because I was
teaching at the time. There are a few of us on this side who remember what
investment in public education was like under the previous government. But we
do not need to rely on our own anecdotal evidence. The evidence is clear for
everyone to see. The 2017–18 building condition assessment report that
we inherited from those opposite showed some 40,000 defects in schools and
facilities around this state—40,000 defects in the neglected public
education system that we inherited.Mr Lachlan Hunter:You've been in there for
nine years.Ms Sabine Winton:Yes. I will tell members what we
have been doing for the last nine years.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Minister! Member for Cottesloe!Ms Sabine Winton:I will happily take that
interjection to remind those opposite—we know this to be true—of
what $1 billion worth, or about $125 million a year, of sustained investment in
maintenance works does over time. Do members know what it does? It is all there
to see in the latest building condition assessment, which shows just under
11,000 defects. There were 41,000 when we came to government, but there are 11,000
now. I particularly like doing maths. What that means for schools throughout
the state is a 70% reduction in maintenance faults as reported in the BCA. I cannot
make that stuff up. That is what we get when we sustainably invest in
maintenance in schools over an extended period of time.Members, I misspoke
earlier today. It was not $13 million; today I announced $11.3 million—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the second time.Ms Sabine Winton:There has been $11.3 million of
additional targeted investment to address the maintenance issues as part of the
BCA to ensure that we can prioritise those works in a number of schools, about
40% of which are in regional Western Australia. This side of the house values
and invests in public education for families and students no matter where they
live.These targeted
improvements will help to ensure that our classrooms, common areas and outdoor
spaces remain safe and comfortable and meet the learning needs of our students
and teachers. Of course, it is really important to recognise that with this
massive infrastructure investment of $1.7 billion, we also need a skilled
workforce to ensure that we can deliver on these important investments. That is
why it is so important that the government is making TAFE and training more
affordable and more accessible in Western Australia, particularly for, in my
case as education minister, young people, because we know that there are jobs
for them to help us deliver on our incredible investment. Whether it is in our
schools or our hospitals, we need a trained workforce.Ms Sandra Brewerinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Cottesloe!Ms Sabine Winton:We are continuing to invest in TAFE
not only to make it affordable but also to make sure that we have a continuous
pipeline of local people to support our infrastructure program.The Speaker:The member for Nedlands with the final
question.
Education—Funding and resources
River for the question. He is another teacher on this side of the chamber who
values and knows the importance of public education.Members,
I have had the opportunity in answering questions from those opposite during
question time tosay this, but I am happy to repeat it: since coming to
government, we have invested over $1 billion into maintenance in our public
education system. It is a significant investment that we know is making sure
that our schools are well supported and have great environments for our
teachers and for our students to learn. Of course, over the next four years, we
will invest $1.7 billion in school infrastructure, including $669 million in
this year's budget alone, which almost doubles the annual infrastructure spend
prior to our coming to government. It is an important distinction to make. With
over 330,000 students in our 833 public schools, we know that these buildings
have high maintenance requirements and require sustained and ongoing investment
each and every year. We know, though, that those schools were neglected under
the previous government. I know it to be a fact personally because I was
teaching at the time. There are a few of us on this side who remember what
investment in public education was like under the previous government. But we
do not need to rely on our own anecdotal evidence. The evidence is clear for
everyone to see. The 2017–18 building condition assessment report that
we inherited from those opposite showed some 40,000 defects in schools and
facilities around this state—40,000 defects in the neglected public
education system that we inherited.Mr Lachlan Hunter:You've been in there for
nine years.Ms Sabine Winton:Yes. I will tell members what we
have been doing for the last nine years.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Minister! Member for Cottesloe!Ms Sabine Winton:I will happily take that
interjection to remind those opposite—we know this to be true—of
what $1 billion worth, or about $125 million a year, of sustained investment in
maintenance works does over time. Do members know what it does? It is all there
to see in the latest building condition assessment, which shows just under
11,000 defects. There were 41,000 when we came to government, but there are 11,000
now. I particularly like doing maths. What that means for schools throughout
the state is a 70% reduction in maintenance faults as reported in the BCA. I cannot
make that stuff up. That is what we get when we sustainably invest in
maintenance in schools over an extended period of time.Members, I misspoke
earlier today. It was not $13 million; today I announced $11.3 million—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the second time.Ms Sabine Winton:There has been $11.3 million of
additional targeted investment to address the maintenance issues as part of the
BCA to ensure that we can prioritise those works in a number of schools, about
40% of which are in regional Western Australia. This side of the house values
and invests in public education for families and students no matter where they
live.These targeted
improvements will help to ensure that our classrooms, common areas and outdoor
spaces remain safe and comfortable and meet the learning needs of our students
and teachers. Of course, it is really important to recognise that with this
massive infrastructure investment of $1.7 billion, we also need a skilled
workforce to ensure that we can deliver on these important investments. That is
why it is so important that the government is making TAFE and training more
affordable and more accessible in Western Australia, particularly for, in my
case as education minister, young people, because we know that there are jobs
for them to help us deliver on our incredible investment. Whether it is in our
schools or our hospitals, we need a trained workforce.Ms Sandra Brewerinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Cottesloe!Ms Sabine Winton:We are continuing to invest in TAFE
not only to make it affordable but also to make sure that we have a continuous
pipeline of local people to support our infrastructure program.The Speaker:The member for Nedlands with the final
question.
Education—Funding and resources
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