❓ Hon. Ravlich questions the Minister for Education about a review of mining education in WA, particularly concerning the WA School of Mines. The Minister expresses reluctance for a formal review but commits to working with universities to ensure appropriate educational opportunities.
AnsweredQoN 808Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MINING EDUCATION — REVIEW
808. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH to the Minister for Education:
(1) Does the minister support an independently funded review
of mining education in Western Australia?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), what action will the minister take to
ensure that such a review takes place?
808. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH to the Minister for Education:
(1) Does the minister support an independently funded review
of mining education in Western Australia?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), what action will the minister take to
ensure that such a review takes place?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I
thank the honourable member for the question. I am not quite sure what she
means by ''mining education''. Does she mean at the senior
secondary level or across the board?
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : School of Mines, Kalgoorlie would be a
part of it. There was a full-page story on it in The West Australian a week ago and I am surprised the minister
missed it.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Dearie me! Tempt me! I am well aware of
the situation with the WA School of Mines in Kalgoorlie and the issues that
have been there. As the honourable member knows, I am a Kalgoorlie boy and I
have had a lot to do with the School of Mines and working with Curtin
University and the —
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : So why is it closing?
Hon PETER COLLIER : There is a real issue, I have to say, with
the School of Mines in what is on offer at the moment. As I said, we are
continuing to work with Curtin University and the School of Mines. I also did
that in my capacity as Minister for Training and Workforce Development. We have
to provide opportunities in Kalgoorlie and we are doing that through, first of
all, accommodation. We have provided more than $20 million to upgrade Agricola
College. We will completely demolish Agricola College and upgrade accommodation
facilities to make it more accommodating and attractive for students to move to
Kalgoorlie to go to the School of Mines. That is a fundamental shift and a
dedicated approach of the government. As far as offering course portfolios et
cetera, I continue to work with Curtin, as I do with all five universities.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Do you support a review?
Hon PETER COLLIER : I am answering the member's
question. She might not like my answer, but I am answering her. There are a
couple of issues with the replacement of the accommodation; I have covered
that. With regard to what is on offer in the curriculum, we will work with
Curtin, as I do at the moment on the Western Australian Higher Education
Council, to make sure that the course opportunities are appropriate in
Kalgoorlie. I am not that fussed about a formal review of mining education, but
I will work with WAHEC. If we look at it from a secondary level perspective and
providing opportunities from there to transfer into the tertiary sector, what
we are providing through the changes with the Western Australian Certificate of
Education will definitely draw more people into the science and maths
component, which we have seen haemorrhaging over the past five years in
particular. They would logically move into a pathway that will include mining,
engineering and geology. We will find that more students, dare I say, will be
appropriately educated and facilitated to a tertiary pathway or an academic
pathway through the School of Mines.
Just to conclude, I
do not have an appetite for a formal review into mining at this stage. However,
as I said, I meet very, very regularly with Curtin and the five universities,
through WAHEC and individually, to ensure we can promote educational
opportunities in all areas, and that includes the School of Mines in Kalgoorlie;
and I will continue to do so.
CONSTABLE
CARE CHILD SAFETY FOUNDATION
809. Hon ADELE FARINA to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to negotiations with the Constable Care Child Safety
Foundation about renewal of funding beyond the June 2014 expiry.
(1) Is it the
government's intention to conclude negotiations before the end of 2013,
so that the CCCSF can have certainty in its forward planning; and, if not, why
not?
(2) Will the
CCCSF have to wait until the release of the 2014–15 state budget in May
2014 before it knows the amount of funds it will be allocated; and, if so, why,
given that this will be only one month before the expiry of the current
agreement?
Hon
KEN BASTON replied:
I answer on behalf of the Attorney General. I thank the
honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1) It is the
government's intention to have a new contract in place as soon as
possible.
(2) The
government has set aside funding in the forward estimates for the ongoing
funding of the crime prevention in schools program currently delivered by
Constable Care.
thank the honourable member for the question. I am not quite sure what she
means by ''mining education''. Does she mean at the senior
secondary level or across the board?
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : School of Mines, Kalgoorlie would be a
part of it. There was a full-page story on it in The West Australian a week ago and I am surprised the minister
missed it.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Dearie me! Tempt me! I am well aware of
the situation with the WA School of Mines in Kalgoorlie and the issues that
have been there. As the honourable member knows, I am a Kalgoorlie boy and I
have had a lot to do with the School of Mines and working with Curtin
University and the —
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : So why is it closing?
Hon PETER COLLIER : There is a real issue, I have to say, with
the School of Mines in what is on offer at the moment. As I said, we are
continuing to work with Curtin University and the School of Mines. I also did
that in my capacity as Minister for Training and Workforce Development. We have
to provide opportunities in Kalgoorlie and we are doing that through, first of
all, accommodation. We have provided more than $20 million to upgrade Agricola
College. We will completely demolish Agricola College and upgrade accommodation
facilities to make it more accommodating and attractive for students to move to
Kalgoorlie to go to the School of Mines. That is a fundamental shift and a
dedicated approach of the government. As far as offering course portfolios et
cetera, I continue to work with Curtin, as I do with all five universities.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Do you support a review?
Hon PETER COLLIER : I am answering the member's
question. She might not like my answer, but I am answering her. There are a
couple of issues with the replacement of the accommodation; I have covered
that. With regard to what is on offer in the curriculum, we will work with
Curtin, as I do at the moment on the Western Australian Higher Education
Council, to make sure that the course opportunities are appropriate in
Kalgoorlie. I am not that fussed about a formal review of mining education, but
I will work with WAHEC. If we look at it from a secondary level perspective and
providing opportunities from there to transfer into the tertiary sector, what
we are providing through the changes with the Western Australian Certificate of
Education will definitely draw more people into the science and maths
component, which we have seen haemorrhaging over the past five years in
particular. They would logically move into a pathway that will include mining,
engineering and geology. We will find that more students, dare I say, will be
appropriately educated and facilitated to a tertiary pathway or an academic
pathway through the School of Mines.
Just to conclude, I
do not have an appetite for a formal review into mining at this stage. However,
as I said, I meet very, very regularly with Curtin and the five universities,
through WAHEC and individually, to ensure we can promote educational
opportunities in all areas, and that includes the School of Mines in Kalgoorlie;
and I will continue to do so.
CONSTABLE
CARE CHILD SAFETY FOUNDATION
809. Hon ADELE FARINA to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to negotiations with the Constable Care Child Safety
Foundation about renewal of funding beyond the June 2014 expiry.
(1) Is it the
government's intention to conclude negotiations before the end of 2013,
so that the CCCSF can have certainty in its forward planning; and, if not, why
not?
(2) Will the
CCCSF have to wait until the release of the 2014–15 state budget in May
2014 before it knows the amount of funds it will be allocated; and, if so, why,
given that this will be only one month before the expiry of the current
agreement?
Hon
KEN BASTON replied:
I answer on behalf of the Attorney General. I thank the
honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1) It is the
government's intention to have a new contract in place as soon as
possible.
(2) The
government has set aside funding in the forward estimates for the ongoing
funding of the crime prevention in schools program currently delivered by
Constable Care.
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