❓ The WA Premier is questioned about his comments regarding Armadale Senior High School's potential decommissioning. The Premier deflects, criticising the local member's absence during his visit and highlighting concerns raised by councillors about education standards.
AnsweredQoN 105Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ARMADALE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Last week the Premier told the Armadale press, “I visited Armadale Senior High School in the 90s … and I would agree that it is probably now rundown.” The Premier then proposed that the school be decommissioned. (1) Can the Premier confirm that during the time he and the Minister for Education have been in government, neither he nor the minister has visited the school? (2) Does the Premier accept that it is irresponsible to threaten to close down a school without any understanding of what has been happening at that school in the past 10 years? (3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT
Last week the Premier told the Armadale press, “I visited Armadale Senior High School in the 90s … and I would agree that it is probably now rundown.” The Premier then proposed that the school be decommissioned. (1) Can the Premier confirm that during the time he and the Minister for Education have been in government, neither he nor the minister has visited the school? (2) Does the Premier accept that it is irresponsible to threaten to close down a school without any understanding of what has been happening at that school in the past 10 years? (3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(1) Can the Premier confirm that during the time he and the Minister for Education have been in government, neither he nor the minister has visited the school? (2) Does the Premier accept that it is irresponsible to threaten to close down a school without any understanding of what has been happening at that school in the past 10 years? (3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(2) Does the Premier accept that it is irresponsible to threaten to close down a school without any understanding of what has been happening at that school in the past 10 years? (3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(1) Can the Premier confirm that during the time he and the Minister for Education have been in government, neither he nor the minister has visited the school? (2) Does the Premier accept that it is irresponsible to threaten to close down a school without any understanding of what has been happening at that school in the past 10 years? (3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(2) Does the Premier accept that it is irresponsible to threaten to close down a school without any understanding of what has been happening at that school in the past 10 years? (3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(3) Is the Premier aware that a $4 million federally funded building program is currently taking place at the school, delivering new science facilities, a trade training centre and public assembly areas? (4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(4) Will the Premier now reassure the Armadale Senior High School community that its school will remain open and that no changes will be made before he has got on top of the facts and before the matter has been fully discussed with the school community? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
(1)–(4) It was a good question, but I was disappointed that the member for Armadale and candidate for Canning was not there when I visited Armadale. I met with most of the council. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : I wasn’t invited, my dear. I would have loved to have gone. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member should have been there. Perhaps she was out doorknocking somewhere else. The member should have been in her electorate! Where was the member for Armadale? I looked for her everywhere. We got on a bus and drove around and we could not see her anywhere. I met with the councillors and also people from the development authority. We did get in a bus and we drove around and looked at, if you like, the good and the bad of that area, as I do in most areas of Perth and country WA. There are some very good things happening in Armadale and there are things that I think are lacking. One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
One of the issues raised by the councillors was the standard and quality of education and training in Armadale. That was raised by them, not me. Indeed, several of them made the suggestion that, given the different distribution of population now, a new school be constructed to replace Armadale and better service the growth in population and the distribution of that population. I gave no commitment on that. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You said it should be decommissioned, and it is probably rundown. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale was not there! I do not know where she was or what she was doing, but she was not there. I can assure members that I did not suggest that the school should be decommissioned. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You did! It was reported in the newspaper. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am sorry, but the member was not there. I wish she had been. I did not suggest that, but indeed some councillors present did suggest that the school was old and rundown. They did suggest that there was a better site for a school that would service a wider area, and they did make the point that the numbers in the school, which I think are about 400 or so — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : No. Again, that is wrong—wrong by about 50 per cent. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can tell the member what struck me about the Armadale electorate and my visit there. The member is right that I have not visited the school since this government was elected, but I did visit the school in the 1990s; I remember going around the school. Like many schools built around that era, probably the seventies, they are old and rundown. I do not think a lot has happened to that school. The councillors told me that very little has happened. The thing that really shocked me—it really did surprise me—was the lack of investment in training for young people in Armadale. The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
The only facility that has been put in place was put in place by the excellent federal member—Don Randall. It was a small facility. Given the socioeconomics and the composition of the population of an area such as Armadale and given its importance as a sub-regional centre in the south-east corridor, I would have thought that over the years an effective member for Armadale would have achieved something of quality to train young people in Armadale. I could not see it. Councillor after councillor said their number one issue is the lack of training facilities and the standard of the school’s facilities. I then started to realise why the member for Armadale was not there. It was because she would have been embarrassed by her lack of success in training and education in her electorate.
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