Mr Board questions potential funding cuts to the Cadets WA program, while Minister McHale denies any reduction in funding and highlights the program's success and ongoing review for efficacy and expansion.

AnsweredQoN 318Legislative Assembly
Asked
13 November 2002
Portfolio
Community Development, Women’s Interests, Seniors and Youth

QuestionView source ↗

I refer the minister to the highly successful Cadets WA program. I have recently received a number of letters from schools indicating that their supporting funds for this program have been cut. One of those letters states - A highly efficient and community-based program will be cut back in effectiveness and result in the program being offered to years 9 and 10 only, and a reduced range of activities. (1) Why does the Government intend to reduce funding to cadet units after the first year? (2) Given that many Cadet WA units in schools currently exceed 50 students, why does the Government intend to limit the number of students in a unit to 50? (3) Given that this WA program is being used as a model around Australia, why is the minister intent on destroying one of the most successful youth programs in this State? Ms S.M. McHALE

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question and acknowledge his role in the cadets program. I am not sure what the member was quoting from, but I will put the facts on the table. This year the Government has committed $2.5 million to cadets; that is similar to the allocation last year. It has not cut the funding to cadets. I think the member for Murdoch has his facts wrong. I will provide the member with some information. The Government has reviewed the efficacy of this program, as it does with all programs. The cadet program is highly successful. I want to make sure that there are ways of continuing to fund new programs and new cadet units in different schools. I assure the member that the funding for 2002-03 has not been cut.
(2) Given that many Cadet WA units in schools currently exceed 50 students, why does the Government intend to limit the number of students in a unit to 50? (3) Given that this WA program is being used as a model around Australia, why is the minister intent on destroying one of the most successful youth programs in this State? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question and acknowledge his role in the cadets program. I am not sure what the member was quoting from, but I will put the facts on the table. This year the Government has committed $2.5 million to cadets; that is similar to the allocation last year. It has not cut the funding to cadets. I think the member for Murdoch has his facts wrong. I will provide the member with some information. The Government has reviewed the efficacy of this program, as it does with all programs. The cadet program is highly successful. I want to make sure that there are ways of continuing to fund new programs and new cadet units in different schools. I assure the member that the funding for 2002-03 has not been cut.
(3) Given that this WA program is being used as a model around Australia, why is the minister intent on destroying one of the most successful youth programs in this State? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question and acknowledge his role in the cadets program. I am not sure what the member was quoting from, but I will put the facts on the table. This year the Government has committed $2.5 million to cadets; that is similar to the allocation last year. It has not cut the funding to cadets. I think the member for Murdoch has his facts wrong. I will provide the member with some information. The Government has reviewed the efficacy of this program, as it does with all programs. The cadet program is highly successful. I want to make sure that there are ways of continuing to fund new programs and new cadet units in different schools. I assure the member that the funding for 2002-03 has not been cut.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question and acknowledge his role in the cadets program. I am not sure what the member was quoting from, but I will put the facts on the table. This year the Government has committed $2.5 million to cadets; that is similar to the allocation last year. It has not cut the funding to cadets. I think the member for Murdoch has his facts wrong. I will provide the member with some information. The Government has reviewed the efficacy of this program, as it does with all programs. The cadet program is highly successful. I want to make sure that there are ways of continuing to fund new programs and new cadet units in different schools. I assure the member that the funding for 2002-03 has not been cut.
(1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question and acknowledge his role in the cadets program. I am not sure what the member was quoting from, but I will put the facts on the table. This year the Government has committed $2.5 million to cadets; that is similar to the allocation last year. It has not cut the funding to cadets. I think the member for Murdoch has his facts wrong. I will provide the member with some information. The Government has reviewed the efficacy of this program, as it does with all programs. The cadet program is highly successful. I want to make sure that there are ways of continuing to fund new programs and new cadet units in different schools. I assure the member that the funding for 2002-03 has not been cut.

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