❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding potential funding cuts to Cadets WA, specifically impacting metro and regional units. The Minister reaffirms commitment to the program and existing funding levels, but acknowledges consideration of capping unit sizes.
AnsweredQoN 330Legislative Assembly
Asked
14 November 2002
Member
Portfolio
Community Development, Women’s Interests, Seniors and Youth
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to the answer she gave yesterday about Cadets WA, in which she indicated there would be no cuts to the program, and subsequently to an e-mail from Sergeant Paul Coveney, the state coordinator of the Police Rangers unit - Withdrawal of Remark Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition just interjected and claimed that I lied, and I ask for a withdrawal. Mr C.J. BARNETT: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M.F. BOARD: I refer the minister to the e-mail from Sergeant Paul Coveney, the state coordinator of the Police Rangers cadet unit, to all police and youth citizens club branch managers dated 16 September, which, according to my notes, states - As you will be aware from the minutes of the September and June Ranger Advisory Committee meeting, with effect from 2003, Cadets WA intends to no longer fund ranger units in the metro area with less than 25 funded rangers. (1) Is the minister aware that this will mean the closure of the Gosnells, Armadale, Fremantle and Rockingham cadet units? (2) Is the minister also aware that funding cuts to the scheme will see schools, such as Bridgetown High School, unable to continue to offer the cadets program to students in year 8, as indicated in a letter to me? (3) Will the minister act immediately to restore the necessary funds for this important and successful youth program to operate properly? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
Mr C.J. BARNETT: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M.F. BOARD: I refer the minister to the e-mail from Sergeant Paul Coveney, the state coordinator of the Police Rangers cadet unit, to all police and youth citizens club branch managers dated 16 September, which, according to my notes, states - As you will be aware from the minutes of the September and June Ranger Advisory Committee meeting, with effect from 2003, Cadets WA intends to no longer fund ranger units in the metro area with less than 25 funded rangers. (1) Is the minister aware that this will mean the closure of the Gosnells, Armadale, Fremantle and Rockingham cadet units? (2) Is the minister also aware that funding cuts to the scheme will see schools, such as Bridgetown High School, unable to continue to offer the cadets program to students in year 8, as indicated in a letter to me? (3) Will the minister act immediately to restore the necessary funds for this important and successful youth program to operate properly? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
(2) Is the minister also aware that funding cuts to the scheme will see schools, such as Bridgetown High School, unable to continue to offer the cadets program to students in year 8, as indicated in a letter to me? (3) Will the minister act immediately to restore the necessary funds for this important and successful youth program to operate properly? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
(3) Will the minister act immediately to restore the necessary funds for this important and successful youth program to operate properly? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
(1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
Mr C.J. BARNETT: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr M.F. BOARD: I refer the minister to the e-mail from Sergeant Paul Coveney, the state coordinator of the Police Rangers cadet unit, to all police and youth citizens club branch managers dated 16 September, which, according to my notes, states - As you will be aware from the minutes of the September and June Ranger Advisory Committee meeting, with effect from 2003, Cadets WA intends to no longer fund ranger units in the metro area with less than 25 funded rangers. (1) Is the minister aware that this will mean the closure of the Gosnells, Armadale, Fremantle and Rockingham cadet units? (2) Is the minister also aware that funding cuts to the scheme will see schools, such as Bridgetown High School, unable to continue to offer the cadets program to students in year 8, as indicated in a letter to me? (3) Will the minister act immediately to restore the necessary funds for this important and successful youth program to operate properly? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
(2) Is the minister also aware that funding cuts to the scheme will see schools, such as Bridgetown High School, unable to continue to offer the cadets program to students in year 8, as indicated in a letter to me? (3) Will the minister act immediately to restore the necessary funds for this important and successful youth program to operate properly? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
(3) Will the minister act immediately to restore the necessary funds for this important and successful youth program to operate properly? Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
I thank the member for his question and for the opportunity to reaffirm to the House what I said yesterday. (1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
(1)-(3) I visited the Armadale Christian College a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed with the work the Red Cross Cadets unit is doing. It is a very strong unit and does a lot of good in the community. In fact, my son was a member of the Police Rangers. Members on this side of the House are totally committed to the cadets program. We believe it is a very good program. Yesterday I said two things: first, the funding for cadets will remain at $2.5 million. The problem with a lot of issues that this Government has faced is that when in government the Liberal Party did not put money into the forward estimates for a certain number of programs. We have been managing extremely well to ensure that funding for our cadets units, the youth grants and other funding that we provide to youth organisations is very much in place. The problem with the forward estimates was that there were diminishing funds for a range of youth programs. I reaffirm to the House that $2.5 million will go to the youth cadets. Yesterday I indicated that no growth money has been provided in the forward estimates. The member knows that when we came to government we looked carefully at our priorities. We looked at our commitments based on the forward estimates to make sure we could deliver them. We have not cut funding to the cadets. Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
Secondly, yesterday I also indicated that a number of options would be considered to make sure we could continue to grow the cadets program. I have not sanctioned any position whereby units would have to be cut, but I have considered a proposal to cap them. That does not mean that organisations could not have more than 50 cadets. I am giving the House a commitment that the Government will fund $2.5 million. We are looking at how we can preserve the program, because we recognise that the cadets is a very good program for the 7 000-plus students in our high schools.
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