❓ Mr. Papalia questions the Premier about health and safety concerns at John Curtin College of the Arts, raised by the principal. The Premier acknowledges the issues, details past and planned funding, and defends the government's broader school redevelopment program.
AnsweredQoN 271Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JOHN CURTIN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS — HEALTH
AND SAFETY ISSUES
271. Mr P. PAPALIA to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, the member
for Nollamara asked me to place on record, even though they have already left,
acknowledgement of Koondoola Primary School students in the public gallery, and
the great work they do at the Koondoola Integrated Services Centre.
I refer to reports today of concerns
regarding the health and safety of children at John Curtin College of the Arts
as outlined in a letter from the principal, who was, for the interest of
members of the house, last year's runner-up principal of the year.
(1) What is
the government doing today to address the significant health and safety issues
raised by the principal of John Curtin College of the Arts?
(2) If the
government has no plans to immediately address the significant health and
safety issues raised by the principal, why not?
(3) What
additional funding for renovations or repairs beyond that necessary to
accommodate the year 7 move to high school has John Curtin College received?
AND SAFETY ISSUES
271. Mr P. PAPALIA to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, the member
for Nollamara asked me to place on record, even though they have already left,
acknowledgement of Koondoola Primary School students in the public gallery, and
the great work they do at the Koondoola Integrated Services Centre.
I refer to reports today of concerns
regarding the health and safety of children at John Curtin College of the Arts
as outlined in a letter from the principal, who was, for the interest of
members of the house, last year's runner-up principal of the year.
(1) What is
the government doing today to address the significant health and safety issues
raised by the principal of John Curtin College of the Arts?
(2) If the
government has no plans to immediately address the significant health and
safety issues raised by the principal, why not?
(3) What
additional funding for renovations or repairs beyond that necessary to
accommodate the year 7 move to high school has John Curtin College received?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The Minister for Education is ill, is that all right?
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Second day.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, she has been ill for two days; it does happen.
John Curtin College of the Arts is a
good school, it is a very fine school, and indeed I happened to be education
minister when it became a school for the arts, the first specialist school of
its nature, and now, of course, we have Perth Modern School with its academic
programs. John Curtin College of the Arts is an old school, as indeed, are many
of the secondary schools in Western Australia. There is indeed a job to be done
and the Minister for Education alluded to that the other day. The major job to
be done in a capital works sense in our education system is the modernisation
of our secondary schools, and indeed, a number of our secondary schools built
back in the 1960s and 1970s were designed for perhaps a 30-year life, which has
been exceeded. Also, the nature of teaching, the curriculum and the programs
have changed dramatically. Probably the best functioning secondary schools now
tend to be larger schools; that is the pattern both in private education and in
government or public education. I certainly agree that John Curtin College of
the Arts does need major capital works. It probably needs a significant
rebuilding as, indeed, a number of other schools do, and those projects are
underway, but there is more to do. Therefore, I do not disagree with that
notion. But I make a comment referring to John Curtin College of the Arts that
in 2012 the school received two new science labs, preparation areas and staff
studies at a cost of $1.5 million. It also had capital works bringing a
significant refurbishment of design technology at the cost of an estimated $1.1
million; I think that is where the member was talking about occupational safety
and working conditions—the design and technology labs—and $1.1 million
has been put there. During the time of the previous government, $6.5 million
was spent on a purpose-built performing arts centre, which is quite
magnificent. Over the last three years, $840 000 has been spent on maintenance,
including over $477 000 on specific faults, over $262 000 on minor works and
over $84 000 on routine maintenance. It is anticipated that by the end of the
2011–12, not far away, a further $300 000 will have been spent
replacing specialised guttering to north and western elevations, $93 000
re-pointing walls, $650 000 addressing concrete cancer and $115 000 replacing
28 gas heaters at the school. Therefore, there is a bit going on at John
Curtin; it is all busy there!
Having said all that, which clearly the member for Warnbro
was not aware of, I agree with the principal that the school is old. It has 1 000
students, so it has a good strong student population, and it does need new
facilities. But every school cannot be done at once, and indeed, down the road
Governor Stirling Senior High School is being done, as are Rossmoyne Senior
High School, Ballajura and so on. They are big schools; Ballajura of course is
a new school. We made a decision, which we announced a few weeks ago, about
Willetton Senior High School, to allocate $32 million as stage 1 of what will
ultimately be an $80 million redevelopment. That is the same as is happening at
John Forrest Senior High School and other schools. These are big projects to
redevelop these schools. The opposition is clearly not interested in this issue
anymore, because a lot of work has happened, particularly if there are issues
of occupational health and safety. However, I take exception to that principal.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
knew I would get the Leader of the Opposition's attention!
It is quite the correct thing for a
principal to draw to the attention of the department or the minister, if he or
she wishes, issues that concern him or her. And indeed, a master planning
exercise has been done over the last six months or so at that school looking
towards a redevelopment. But I do not believe that it is open to a principal to
send an item of correspondence on school letterhead that is clearly
inflammatory and clearly has a political tone to it; that is not appropriate.
It is not appropriate; it is not the standard that this government accepts.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, because it is not up to a principal to go out publicly
with a politically charged document like that. It is up to a principal —
Ms
M.M. Quirk : You're embarrassed, aren't you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not.
It is up to a principal to raise
those issues with the director general or indeed the minister, or indeed the
Premier, but it is not up to a principal to go out publicly with a letter such
as that. That is a difference between the standard of this government and the
public sector, and the Labor Party.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time
today.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The Minister for Education is ill, is that all right?
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Second day.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, she has been ill for two days; it does happen.
John Curtin College of the Arts is a
good school, it is a very fine school, and indeed I happened to be education
minister when it became a school for the arts, the first specialist school of
its nature, and now, of course, we have Perth Modern School with its academic
programs. John Curtin College of the Arts is an old school, as indeed, are many
of the secondary schools in Western Australia. There is indeed a job to be done
and the Minister for Education alluded to that the other day. The major job to
be done in a capital works sense in our education system is the modernisation
of our secondary schools, and indeed, a number of our secondary schools built
back in the 1960s and 1970s were designed for perhaps a 30-year life, which has
been exceeded. Also, the nature of teaching, the curriculum and the programs
have changed dramatically. Probably the best functioning secondary schools now
tend to be larger schools; that is the pattern both in private education and in
government or public education. I certainly agree that John Curtin College of
the Arts does need major capital works. It probably needs a significant
rebuilding as, indeed, a number of other schools do, and those projects are
underway, but there is more to do. Therefore, I do not disagree with that
notion. But I make a comment referring to John Curtin College of the Arts that
in 2012 the school received two new science labs, preparation areas and staff
studies at a cost of $1.5 million. It also had capital works bringing a
significant refurbishment of design technology at the cost of an estimated $1.1
million; I think that is where the member was talking about occupational safety
and working conditions—the design and technology labs—and $1.1 million
has been put there. During the time of the previous government, $6.5 million
was spent on a purpose-built performing arts centre, which is quite
magnificent. Over the last three years, $840 000 has been spent on maintenance,
including over $477 000 on specific faults, over $262 000 on minor works and
over $84 000 on routine maintenance. It is anticipated that by the end of the
2011–12, not far away, a further $300 000 will have been spent
replacing specialised guttering to north and western elevations, $93 000
re-pointing walls, $650 000 addressing concrete cancer and $115 000 replacing
28 gas heaters at the school. Therefore, there is a bit going on at John
Curtin; it is all busy there!
Having said all that, which clearly the member for Warnbro
was not aware of, I agree with the principal that the school is old. It has 1 000
students, so it has a good strong student population, and it does need new
facilities. But every school cannot be done at once, and indeed, down the road
Governor Stirling Senior High School is being done, as are Rossmoyne Senior
High School, Ballajura and so on. They are big schools; Ballajura of course is
a new school. We made a decision, which we announced a few weeks ago, about
Willetton Senior High School, to allocate $32 million as stage 1 of what will
ultimately be an $80 million redevelopment. That is the same as is happening at
John Forrest Senior High School and other schools. These are big projects to
redevelop these schools. The opposition is clearly not interested in this issue
anymore, because a lot of work has happened, particularly if there are issues
of occupational health and safety. However, I take exception to that principal.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
knew I would get the Leader of the Opposition's attention!
It is quite the correct thing for a
principal to draw to the attention of the department or the minister, if he or
she wishes, issues that concern him or her. And indeed, a master planning
exercise has been done over the last six months or so at that school looking
towards a redevelopment. But I do not believe that it is open to a principal to
send an item of correspondence on school letterhead that is clearly
inflammatory and clearly has a political tone to it; that is not appropriate.
It is not appropriate; it is not the standard that this government accepts.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, because it is not up to a principal to go out publicly
with a politically charged document like that. It is up to a principal —
Ms
M.M. Quirk : You're embarrassed, aren't you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, I am not.
It is up to a principal to raise
those issues with the director general or indeed the minister, or indeed the
Premier, but it is not up to a principal to go out publicly with a letter such
as that. That is a difference between the standard of this government and the
public sector, and the Labor Party.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time
today.
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