❓ Mr. Catania asks about education developments in the Pilbara. The Minister for Regional Development highlights investments in schools, infrastructure, and improved student retention rates, attributing the progress to the Liberal-National government's policies.
AnsweredQoN 383Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION —
PILBARA
383. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Regional Development:
I understand a number
of new and upgraded schools in the Pilbara have recently been opened. Can the
minister please update the house on the exciting new developments in education
in the Pilbara?
Several members
interjected.
PILBARA
383. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Regional Development:
I understand a number
of new and upgraded schools in the Pilbara have recently been opened. Can the
minister please update the house on the exciting new developments in education
in the Pilbara?
Several members
interjected.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, member for
North West. The member still engenders a great deal of support from members
opposite whenever he asks a question!
I acknowledge
students from Narrogin Primary School who have travelled down to Parliament
today. It is great to have you here, and I hope you can take some of this good
rain back to the wheatbelt!
The member for North
West has provided me with a good opportunity to talk about what is happening in
education in the Pilbara at the moment. When we announced the Pilbara Cities
program we hoped to address the issues associated with unprecedented population
growth in the Pilbara over the last decade, not just when the Liberal–National
government was in power but also the previous Labor government. There has now
been record investment in a range of areas, including housing, infrastructure
upgrades, health and education, and business development. We are starting to
see some changes in these areas, which are benefiting from increased government
investment and focus.
The Minister for
Education recently opened upgrades at Hedland Senior High School, including a
new administration block, two new classroom blocks and the refurbished Hardie
House, a learning centre for senior school students. Royalties for regions
contributed $7.3 million to this upgrade with $4 million from BHP Billiton Iron
Ore. Importantly, the principal of Hedland Senior High School has reported a
massive 31 per cent increase in the number of students staying enrolled at the
school from year 8 to year 12. In 2009, 28 per cent of students who came to
school stayed until year 12. That figure has now jumped to 59 per cent. I quote
an article by Alex Massey in the North
West Telegraph , which reads —
Hedland parents are re-enrolling their kids in local schools in record
numbers as huge public and private sector investment shortens the education
divide between Perth and the Pilbara.
In 2012 Hedland
Senior High School was the joint top vocation and education training school in
the state, and our Liberal–National government's investment
into quality education can be seen throughout the Pilbara.
Karratha Senior High
School's new campus is expected to open in the coming months giving
students access to the outstanding facilities provided by the new Karratha
Leisureplex. This follows the opening this year of the new $20 million Baynton
West Primary School in Karratha, which is already catering for 373 students
from kindergarten to year 7. The $50 million Pilbara education fund is
improving the quality of education and training services across the Pilbara.
This funding is assisting with the rollout of e-learning and putting more
infrastructure into Pilbara schools.
I finish by saying
that education is a key part of driving regional development. It is absolutely
important that families see a pathway for education for their children into the
future, and off the back of these figures investments by the Liberal–National
government in education in the Pilbara are clearly showing a turnaround. It
also shows the missed opportunities —
Mr M.P. Murray : It's pork-barrelling!
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The member for Collie–Preston calls
investing in education in the Pilbara pork-barrelling! That is why the Labor
Party's attitude of abandoning the Pilbara reflects so badly on
education figures, and is probably why the Pilbara supported the Liberals and
Nationals in this year's election!
North West. The member still engenders a great deal of support from members
opposite whenever he asks a question!
I acknowledge
students from Narrogin Primary School who have travelled down to Parliament
today. It is great to have you here, and I hope you can take some of this good
rain back to the wheatbelt!
The member for North
West has provided me with a good opportunity to talk about what is happening in
education in the Pilbara at the moment. When we announced the Pilbara Cities
program we hoped to address the issues associated with unprecedented population
growth in the Pilbara over the last decade, not just when the Liberal–National
government was in power but also the previous Labor government. There has now
been record investment in a range of areas, including housing, infrastructure
upgrades, health and education, and business development. We are starting to
see some changes in these areas, which are benefiting from increased government
investment and focus.
The Minister for
Education recently opened upgrades at Hedland Senior High School, including a
new administration block, two new classroom blocks and the refurbished Hardie
House, a learning centre for senior school students. Royalties for regions
contributed $7.3 million to this upgrade with $4 million from BHP Billiton Iron
Ore. Importantly, the principal of Hedland Senior High School has reported a
massive 31 per cent increase in the number of students staying enrolled at the
school from year 8 to year 12. In 2009, 28 per cent of students who came to
school stayed until year 12. That figure has now jumped to 59 per cent. I quote
an article by Alex Massey in the North
West Telegraph , which reads —
Hedland parents are re-enrolling their kids in local schools in record
numbers as huge public and private sector investment shortens the education
divide between Perth and the Pilbara.
In 2012 Hedland
Senior High School was the joint top vocation and education training school in
the state, and our Liberal–National government's investment
into quality education can be seen throughout the Pilbara.
Karratha Senior High
School's new campus is expected to open in the coming months giving
students access to the outstanding facilities provided by the new Karratha
Leisureplex. This follows the opening this year of the new $20 million Baynton
West Primary School in Karratha, which is already catering for 373 students
from kindergarten to year 7. The $50 million Pilbara education fund is
improving the quality of education and training services across the Pilbara.
This funding is assisting with the rollout of e-learning and putting more
infrastructure into Pilbara schools.
I finish by saying
that education is a key part of driving regional development. It is absolutely
important that families see a pathway for education for their children into the
future, and off the back of these figures investments by the Liberal–National
government in education in the Pilbara are clearly showing a turnaround. It
also shows the missed opportunities —
Mr M.P. Murray : It's pork-barrelling!
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : The member for Collie–Preston calls
investing in education in the Pilbara pork-barrelling! That is why the Labor
Party's attitude of abandoning the Pilbara reflects so badly on
education figures, and is probably why the Pilbara supported the Liberals and
Nationals in this year's election!
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