❓ Hon Michael Mischin questions the Minister for Education and Training regarding the delayed official opening of the Doubleview Primary School complex, implying political motivations behind the delay. The Minister refutes the claims, citing numerous school openings in non-Labor electorates and highlighting the government's commitment to the project.
AnsweredQoN 683Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DOUBLEVIEW PRIMARY
SCHOOL COMPLEX — OPENING
683. Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN to the Minister for Education and
Training:
The Department of Education
guidelines ''Official Opening of Public School Buildings'' recognise
that an official opening is a significant event for a public school. In that
regard, I refer to the minister's answers to my questions without
notice of 11 and 12 April this year regarding the new Doubleview Primary
School.
(1) Given that
the new school complex has been operating since the start of this year, when
will the minister officially open the school?
(2) Has the
school been in contact with the minister's office about an official
opening; and, if so, why has a date not been set?
(3) Will the
minister be issuing invitations to the opening to local members of Parliament,
or ensure that local members of Parliament are invited, or is she waiting to be
invited by the local member of Parliament, as was the case with the Halidon
Primary School administration building ceremony?
(4) Is the
Minister's lack of interest in officially opening the new Doubleview
Primary School related to the project being one for which the McGowan Labor
government cannot pretend to claim credit, it having been an initiative of the
last Liberal government and, unlike Halidon, located in a Liberal-held
electorate?
SCHOOL COMPLEX — OPENING
683. Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN to the Minister for Education and
Training:
The Department of Education
guidelines ''Official Opening of Public School Buildings'' recognise
that an official opening is a significant event for a public school. In that
regard, I refer to the minister's answers to my questions without
notice of 11 and 12 April this year regarding the new Doubleview Primary
School.
(1) Given that
the new school complex has been operating since the start of this year, when
will the minister officially open the school?
(2) Has the
school been in contact with the minister's office about an official
opening; and, if so, why has a date not been set?
(3) Will the
minister be issuing invitations to the opening to local members of Parliament,
or ensure that local members of Parliament are invited, or is she waiting to be
invited by the local member of Parliament, as was the case with the Halidon
Primary School administration building ceremony?
(4) Is the
Minister's lack of interest in officially opening the new Doubleview
Primary School related to the project being one for which the McGowan Labor
government cannot pretend to claim credit, it having been an initiative of the
last Liberal government and, unlike Halidon, located in a Liberal-held
electorate?
AnswerView source ↗
I begin by saying that when I did
attend a series of school openings at the beginning of this year—the
member can ask his colleagues if he does not believe me—at every single
one of them I acknowledged that the project had been funded, budgeted for and
begun under the previous government.
Hon Martin Aldridge : I wouldn't
know; I wasn't invited.
Hon SUE ELLERY : The member
needs to talk to his local schools if they are not inviting him.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon SUE ELLERY : Read the
policy.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
The minister is going to answer the question and everyone else is going to listen.
Hon SUE ELLERY : I have
already tabled the policy in answer to a previous question, but I think I might
table it again next week for the benefit of the house, and members can see who
is responsible for issuing invitations.
(1)–(3) A
date for the official opening of the redeveloped Doubleview Primary School has
yet to be scheduled. Dates of official openings are determined in consultation
with the schools involved. For the record, Halidon Primary School is a great
school with a fantastic school leadership and parent body. I am disappointed at
one of their local members of Parliament's tone of questioning that
continues to imply that the school is not worthy of the funding provided.
(4) I have officially opened a number of
infrastructure projects commissioned under the previous government, including new schools opened in term 1 that are located in non–Labor
held electorates. I have also attended openings at Churchlands Senior High
School in the seat of Churchlands; West Leederville Primary School in the seat
of Churchlands; Holland Street School in Geraldton; Geraldton Senior College,
Geraldton; and Wandina Primary School, Geraldton. I might note in respect of
those schools in Geraldton that the shadow Minister for Education and Training
was invited but was not able to attend. I have also attended the openings at
Rapids Landing Primary School in the seat of Warren–Blackwood; Vasse Primary
School in the seat of Vasse; and Dunsborough Primary School in the seat of
Vasse. In fact, proceeding with the Doubleview Primary School on that site was
part of the pre-election commitments of the McGowan government to honour the
commitments made by the previous government about allocating resources to
address enrolment pressures in the western suburbs. The only part of that that
we did not support was the site of the new western suburbs secondary school.
attend a series of school openings at the beginning of this year—the
member can ask his colleagues if he does not believe me—at every single
one of them I acknowledged that the project had been funded, budgeted for and
begun under the previous government.
Hon Martin Aldridge : I wouldn't
know; I wasn't invited.
Hon SUE ELLERY : The member
needs to talk to his local schools if they are not inviting him.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon SUE ELLERY : Read the
policy.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
The minister is going to answer the question and everyone else is going to listen.
Hon SUE ELLERY : I have
already tabled the policy in answer to a previous question, but I think I might
table it again next week for the benefit of the house, and members can see who
is responsible for issuing invitations.
(1)–(3) A
date for the official opening of the redeveloped Doubleview Primary School has
yet to be scheduled. Dates of official openings are determined in consultation
with the schools involved. For the record, Halidon Primary School is a great
school with a fantastic school leadership and parent body. I am disappointed at
one of their local members of Parliament's tone of questioning that
continues to imply that the school is not worthy of the funding provided.
(4) I have officially opened a number of
infrastructure projects commissioned under the previous government, including new schools opened in term 1 that are located in non–Labor
held electorates. I have also attended openings at Churchlands Senior High
School in the seat of Churchlands; West Leederville Primary School in the seat
of Churchlands; Holland Street School in Geraldton; Geraldton Senior College,
Geraldton; and Wandina Primary School, Geraldton. I might note in respect of
those schools in Geraldton that the shadow Minister for Education and Training
was invited but was not able to attend. I have also attended the openings at
Rapids Landing Primary School in the seat of Warren–Blackwood; Vasse Primary
School in the seat of Vasse; and Dunsborough Primary School in the seat of
Vasse. In fact, proceeding with the Doubleview Primary School on that site was
part of the pre-election commitments of the McGowan government to honour the
commitments made by the previous government about allocating resources to
address enrolment pressures in the western suburbs. The only part of that that
we did not support was the site of the new western suburbs secondary school.
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