❓ Opposition questions the government about education funding cuts, particularly in light of federal funding for Moora Residential College. Government defends its record, highlighting increased investment in regional education and reversing previous cuts.
AnsweredQoN 610Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION FUNDING
610. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
With the Speaker's indulgence, before I ask my
question, on behalf of the opposition I pass on my sympathy to the family,
friends and loved ones of Beverley Quinn and Mara Harvey and her children. I also
acknowledge and thank our first responders to this awful incident. We can only
imagine the tragic scene that they had to attend and the emotional turmoil they
would be experiencing now. Our thoughts are with them.
Members: Hear, hear!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I refer to the Morrison Liberal government's
$8.7 million rescue package for Moora Residential College and the fact that the
McGowan government had to be dragged kicking and screaming to provide even
minor recurrent expenditure for this facility. Given all the government's
bungles and backflips in the education portfolio, will it now reverse all the
other mean-spirited education cuts that have caused heartache and anxiety in
the Western Australian community?
610. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
With the Speaker's indulgence, before I ask my
question, on behalf of the opposition I pass on my sympathy to the family,
friends and loved ones of Beverley Quinn and Mara Harvey and her children. I also
acknowledge and thank our first responders to this awful incident. We can only
imagine the tragic scene that they had to attend and the emotional turmoil they
would be experiencing now. Our thoughts are with them.
Members: Hear, hear!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I refer to the Morrison Liberal government's
$8.7 million rescue package for Moora Residential College and the fact that the
McGowan government had to be dragged kicking and screaming to provide even
minor recurrent expenditure for this facility. Given all the government's
bungles and backflips in the education portfolio, will it now reverse all the
other mean-spirited education cuts that have caused heartache and anxiety in
the Western Australian community?
AnswerView source ↗
Firstly, can I also pass on my thoughts and those of the
government, and all members of Parliament, I am sure, to the families impacted
by the recent events in Bedford—the Quinn and Harvey families; all
their friends, no doubt; and everyone who is feeling very sad about those
shocking events.
The reality is that across regional Western Australia this
government is putting more effort than ever before —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : — into a whole range of educational
issues. The Leader of the Opposition is nothing if not predictable, so I just
want to go through it for him so he understands exactly what is going on. We
are putting in place an additional 300 education assistants that were cut out
by the former Liberal–National government. Members might recall that
back then 20 000 people were protesting against the now Leader of the
Opposition at the front of Parliament House. That was a big protest about big
issues and the enormous impact that the cuts of the Leader of the Opposition,
the then Treasurer, were having on schools all over Western Australia. So, we
are reinstating those education assistants across regional WA in particular—there
will be more than 100 additional education assistants across regional schools.
I want to run through some of them with members. Avonvale Primary School,
Kellerberrin District High School, Trayning Primary School, Beachlands Primary
School, Mullewa District High School, Brookton District High School, Kondinin
Primary School, West Northam Primary School, Rangeway Primary School and
Katanning Primary School will all get additional assistants under this
government.
We are also putting in place an
additional 50 Aboriginal and Islander education officers across Western Australia—the
vast bulk in regional Western Australia—to meet the needs of Aboriginal
students. We are putting in place independent learning coordinators and
regional learning specialists. Just so the opposition understands that, it is
about ensuring that students who are doing some of those more difficult
academic subjects—physics, chemistry, higher level English and maths
and the like—have additional support so that they can stay at school in
regional communities to undertake those subjects. On top of that, we are
upgrading regional schools. I was out with the member for Bunbury the other
day. There will be a $5 million upgrade—improvement—to Bunbury
Senior High School. Broome Senior High School, Collie Senior High School, Eaton
Community College, Bunbury Senior High School, Mount Lockyer Primary School—all
sorts of schools all around Western Australia, including Carnarvon, Margaret
River and Busselton—are getting significant upgrades. The opposition
leader is just someone grasping around for a life raft because he has nothing
real to say.
government, and all members of Parliament, I am sure, to the families impacted
by the recent events in Bedford—the Quinn and Harvey families; all
their friends, no doubt; and everyone who is feeling very sad about those
shocking events.
The reality is that across regional Western Australia this
government is putting more effort than ever before —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : — into a whole range of educational
issues. The Leader of the Opposition is nothing if not predictable, so I just
want to go through it for him so he understands exactly what is going on. We
are putting in place an additional 300 education assistants that were cut out
by the former Liberal–National government. Members might recall that
back then 20 000 people were protesting against the now Leader of the
Opposition at the front of Parliament House. That was a big protest about big
issues and the enormous impact that the cuts of the Leader of the Opposition,
the then Treasurer, were having on schools all over Western Australia. So, we
are reinstating those education assistants across regional WA in particular—there
will be more than 100 additional education assistants across regional schools.
I want to run through some of them with members. Avonvale Primary School,
Kellerberrin District High School, Trayning Primary School, Beachlands Primary
School, Mullewa District High School, Brookton District High School, Kondinin
Primary School, West Northam Primary School, Rangeway Primary School and
Katanning Primary School will all get additional assistants under this
government.
We are also putting in place an
additional 50 Aboriginal and Islander education officers across Western Australia—the
vast bulk in regional Western Australia—to meet the needs of Aboriginal
students. We are putting in place independent learning coordinators and
regional learning specialists. Just so the opposition understands that, it is
about ensuring that students who are doing some of those more difficult
academic subjects—physics, chemistry, higher level English and maths
and the like—have additional support so that they can stay at school in
regional communities to undertake those subjects. On top of that, we are
upgrading regional schools. I was out with the member for Bunbury the other
day. There will be a $5 million upgrade—improvement—to Bunbury
Senior High School. Broome Senior High School, Collie Senior High School, Eaton
Community College, Bunbury Senior High School, Mount Lockyer Primary School—all
sorts of schools all around Western Australia, including Carnarvon, Margaret
River and Busselton—are getting significant upgrades. The opposition
leader is just someone grasping around for a life raft because he has nothing
real to say.
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