❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Education regarding guarantees for service standards in new public-private partnership schools. The Minister assures that educational quality will remain the same and that the partnerships aim for value for money and efficiency.
AnsweredQoN 1091Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS —
PUBLIC–PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
1091. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
That is the problem with this government; we are expected to
be patient about all sorts of things.
Hon Peter Katsambanis : That's not a question. Why don't
you sit down if you are not asking a question?
Hon SUE ELLERY : Neither was the last gratuitous comment.
The PRESIDENT : Order! The Leader of the Opposition has
the opportunity to ask a question.
Hon SUE ELLERY : I refer to the government's
announcement of new public–private partnerships for eight new Western
Australian public schools. What guarantees does the Minister for Education give
parents in the eight communities that the standard of service in each of the
areas of ongoing facilities management will be at least to the same level that
they are now, if not better?
PUBLIC–PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
1091. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
That is the problem with this government; we are expected to
be patient about all sorts of things.
Hon Peter Katsambanis : That's not a question. Why don't
you sit down if you are not asking a question?
Hon SUE ELLERY : Neither was the last gratuitous comment.
The PRESIDENT : Order! The Leader of the Opposition has
the opportunity to ask a question.
Hon SUE ELLERY : I refer to the government's
announcement of new public–private partnerships for eight new Western
Australian public schools. What guarantees does the Minister for Education give
parents in the eight communities that the standard of service in each of the
areas of ongoing facilities management will be at least to the same level that
they are now, if not better?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for the question. The issue of
public–private partnerships in schools is not a new phenomenon. In
fact, we are Johnny-come-latelys with regard to this issue. Other states have
already used PPPs very successfully throughout Australia and internationally.
They have found the marriage between the private sector and the government
sector to deliver services in education is profoundly more efficient than when
those services are just delivered by the government. The Liberal Party went
into the 2008 election with a commitment to, I think, 12 schools in the first
term of government. That was a little ambitious in retrospect—it really
was—and we needed some time to ascertain the virtues of the policy to
ensure that it delivered a more efficient system of educational delivery. We
spent an enormous amount of time developing the policy framework on which we
have landed—that is, four primary schools and four secondary schools,
which will open from 2017 until 2022 when stage two of the final secondary
school is opened. For those who are perhaps unaware of how it will operate in
the education system, the contract worth about $370 million will go to a
partner in the private sector and the private sector partner will be
responsible for building and maintaining the services of the school. The
service delivery within the school—the delivery of education,
curriculum, management and staffing of the school—will always remain
with the Department of Education. And that is the way it should be. In terms of
service delivery, the students will have exactly the same quality of education
as they have always had in those schools. There will be no difference
whatsoever; they will have the same quality of teachers and curriculum
opportunities as they have always had. Nothing will change. In terms of the
actual maintenance of the schools, we are moving into a new area. I think it is
an exciting area and it will be very productive. I think they are asking for
expressions of interest and that process closes around 5 November, but do not
quote me on that date. Through the procurement process, Treasury and the
Department of Education will look at the process and those interested within
the actual process, and determine whether there is value for money for the
state government. They will ask whether there is value for money for the state
government. If there is not, we will not progress down this path. Having said
that, I am very, very confident from the interest shown thus far that it will
provide value for money, a more efficient system and at the same time maintain,
in full answer to the honourable member's question, the quality of
education that the citizens of Western Australia have come to expect from the
public education system.
public–private partnerships in schools is not a new phenomenon. In
fact, we are Johnny-come-latelys with regard to this issue. Other states have
already used PPPs very successfully throughout Australia and internationally.
They have found the marriage between the private sector and the government
sector to deliver services in education is profoundly more efficient than when
those services are just delivered by the government. The Liberal Party went
into the 2008 election with a commitment to, I think, 12 schools in the first
term of government. That was a little ambitious in retrospect—it really
was—and we needed some time to ascertain the virtues of the policy to
ensure that it delivered a more efficient system of educational delivery. We
spent an enormous amount of time developing the policy framework on which we
have landed—that is, four primary schools and four secondary schools,
which will open from 2017 until 2022 when stage two of the final secondary
school is opened. For those who are perhaps unaware of how it will operate in
the education system, the contract worth about $370 million will go to a
partner in the private sector and the private sector partner will be
responsible for building and maintaining the services of the school. The
service delivery within the school—the delivery of education,
curriculum, management and staffing of the school—will always remain
with the Department of Education. And that is the way it should be. In terms of
service delivery, the students will have exactly the same quality of education
as they have always had in those schools. There will be no difference
whatsoever; they will have the same quality of teachers and curriculum
opportunities as they have always had. Nothing will change. In terms of the
actual maintenance of the schools, we are moving into a new area. I think it is
an exciting area and it will be very productive. I think they are asking for
expressions of interest and that process closes around 5 November, but do not
quote me on that date. Through the procurement process, Treasury and the
Department of Education will look at the process and those interested within
the actual process, and determine whether there is value for money for the
state government. They will ask whether there is value for money for the state
government. If there is not, we will not progress down this path. Having said
that, I am very, very confident from the interest shown thus far that it will
provide value for money, a more efficient system and at the same time maintain,
in full answer to the honourable member's question, the quality of
education that the citizens of Western Australia have come to expect from the
public education system.
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