❓ Mr. Carpenter questions the process by which the Minister for Education allocated $40 million from the AlintaGas sale to schools. The Minister outlines the criteria used and his involvement in the decision-making process, emphasizing a focus on schools in lower socioeconomic areas with low retention rates.
AnsweredQoN 321Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
What process was followed when the minister decided which schools would benefit from the allocation to Education of $40m from the sale of AlintaGas, and what role did he play in that process? Mr BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. One of the major benefits to the community from the privatisation of AlintaGas was a further $40m ploughed into secondary schools that were typically built in the 1960s and 1970s. These schools are no longer able to provide the modern curriculum, particularly in vocational areas - technology, design, food economics, hospitality and the like. Of the schools that benefited, 32 received additional funding, 19 were in the metropolitan area and 13 in country areas. For the information of members, I advise that 17 of those schools are in coalition electorates, 13 in Labor electorates and two in Independent electorates. Several months ago I gave the Education Department a brief to identify schools of that period that would most benefit by a significant injection of funds with the funds to be directed at student learning with a special emphasis on vocational areas. As a result of that recommendations were made; I endorsed those recommendations. I considered those schools carefully and, with the exception of Beverley District High School, I have visited every one of them. I have walked around the schools with parents and teachers and looked at what needs to be done. The member for Willagee should support this allocation of funds. I have been to schools in opposition electorates and I have made decisions to improve those schools. One of the criteria I gave to the Director General of Education was to concentrate on those schools at which retention rates are not as high as the state average and on schools that might be deemed to be in relatively lower socioeconomic areas. The Government wants to improve the opportunities for young people to get employment. There were a couple of biases in my brief. The criteria were directed to schools with low retention rates, schools between 40 and 50 years old and schools in lower income areas. It is amazing that a Labor member of Parliament criticises, by implication, this Government for helping students in those poorer areas, and in the less well-equipped schools in this State. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr BARNETT replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. One of the major benefits to the community from the privatisation of AlintaGas was a further $40m ploughed into secondary schools that were typically built in the 1960s and 1970s. These schools are no longer able to provide the modern curriculum, particularly in vocational areas - technology, design, food economics, hospitality and the like. Of the schools that benefited, 32 received additional funding, 19 were in the metropolitan area and 13 in country areas. For the information of members, I advise that 17 of those schools are in coalition electorates, 13 in Labor electorates and two in Independent electorates. Several months ago I gave the Education Department a brief to identify schools of that period that would most benefit by a significant injection of funds with the funds to be directed at student learning with a special emphasis on vocational areas. As a result of that recommendations were made; I endorsed those recommendations. I considered those schools carefully and, with the exception of Beverley District High School, I have visited every one of them. I have walked around the schools with parents and teachers and looked at what needs to be done. The member for Willagee should support this allocation of funds. I have been to schools in opposition electorates and I have made decisions to improve those schools. One of the criteria I gave to the Director General of Education was to concentrate on those schools at which retention rates are not as high as the state average and on schools that might be deemed to be in relatively lower socioeconomic areas. The Government wants to improve the opportunities for young people to get employment. There were a couple of biases in my brief. The criteria were directed to schools with low retention rates, schools between 40 and 50 years old and schools in lower income areas. It is amazing that a Labor member of Parliament criticises, by implication, this Government for helping students in those poorer areas, and in the less well-equipped schools in this State. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. One of the major benefits to the community from the privatisation of AlintaGas was a further $40m ploughed into secondary schools that were typically built in the 1960s and 1970s. These schools are no longer able to provide the modern curriculum, particularly in vocational areas - technology, design, food economics, hospitality and the like. Of the schools that benefited, 32 received additional funding, 19 were in the metropolitan area and 13 in country areas. For the information of members, I advise that 17 of those schools are in coalition electorates, 13 in Labor electorates and two in Independent electorates. Several months ago I gave the Education Department a brief to identify schools of that period that would most benefit by a significant injection of funds with the funds to be directed at student learning with a special emphasis on vocational areas. As a result of that recommendations were made; I endorsed those recommendations. I considered those schools carefully and, with the exception of Beverley District High School, I have visited every one of them. I have walked around the schools with parents and teachers and looked at what needs to be done. The member for Willagee should support this allocation of funds. I have been to schools in opposition electorates and I have made decisions to improve those schools. One of the criteria I gave to the Director General of Education was to concentrate on those schools at which retention rates are not as high as the state average and on schools that might be deemed to be in relatively lower socioeconomic areas. The Government wants to improve the opportunities for young people to get employment. There were a couple of biases in my brief. The criteria were directed to schools with low retention rates, schools between 40 and 50 years old and schools in lower income areas. It is amazing that a Labor member of Parliament criticises, by implication, this Government for helping students in those poorer areas, and in the less well-equipped schools in this State. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
I considered those schools carefully and, with the exception of Beverley District High School, I have visited every one of them. I have walked around the schools with parents and teachers and looked at what needs to be done. The member for Willagee should support this allocation of funds. I have been to schools in opposition electorates and I have made decisions to improve those schools. One of the criteria I gave to the Director General of Education was to concentrate on those schools at which retention rates are not as high as the state average and on schools that might be deemed to be in relatively lower socioeconomic areas. The Government wants to improve the opportunities for young people to get employment. There were a couple of biases in my brief. The criteria were directed to schools with low retention rates, schools between 40 and 50 years old and schools in lower income areas. It is amazing that a Labor member of Parliament criticises, by implication, this Government for helping students in those poorer areas, and in the less well-equipped schools in this State. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr BARNETT replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. One of the major benefits to the community from the privatisation of AlintaGas was a further $40m ploughed into secondary schools that were typically built in the 1960s and 1970s. These schools are no longer able to provide the modern curriculum, particularly in vocational areas - technology, design, food economics, hospitality and the like. Of the schools that benefited, 32 received additional funding, 19 were in the metropolitan area and 13 in country areas. For the information of members, I advise that 17 of those schools are in coalition electorates, 13 in Labor electorates and two in Independent electorates. Several months ago I gave the Education Department a brief to identify schools of that period that would most benefit by a significant injection of funds with the funds to be directed at student learning with a special emphasis on vocational areas. As a result of that recommendations were made; I endorsed those recommendations. I considered those schools carefully and, with the exception of Beverley District High School, I have visited every one of them. I have walked around the schools with parents and teachers and looked at what needs to be done. The member for Willagee should support this allocation of funds. I have been to schools in opposition electorates and I have made decisions to improve those schools. One of the criteria I gave to the Director General of Education was to concentrate on those schools at which retention rates are not as high as the state average and on schools that might be deemed to be in relatively lower socioeconomic areas. The Government wants to improve the opportunities for young people to get employment. There were a couple of biases in my brief. The criteria were directed to schools with low retention rates, schools between 40 and 50 years old and schools in lower income areas. It is amazing that a Labor member of Parliament criticises, by implication, this Government for helping students in those poorer areas, and in the less well-equipped schools in this State. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. One of the major benefits to the community from the privatisation of AlintaGas was a further $40m ploughed into secondary schools that were typically built in the 1960s and 1970s. These schools are no longer able to provide the modern curriculum, particularly in vocational areas - technology, design, food economics, hospitality and the like. Of the schools that benefited, 32 received additional funding, 19 were in the metropolitan area and 13 in country areas. For the information of members, I advise that 17 of those schools are in coalition electorates, 13 in Labor electorates and two in Independent electorates. Several months ago I gave the Education Department a brief to identify schools of that period that would most benefit by a significant injection of funds with the funds to be directed at student learning with a special emphasis on vocational areas. As a result of that recommendations were made; I endorsed those recommendations. I considered those schools carefully and, with the exception of Beverley District High School, I have visited every one of them. I have walked around the schools with parents and teachers and looked at what needs to be done. The member for Willagee should support this allocation of funds. I have been to schools in opposition electorates and I have made decisions to improve those schools. One of the criteria I gave to the Director General of Education was to concentrate on those schools at which retention rates are not as high as the state average and on schools that might be deemed to be in relatively lower socioeconomic areas. The Government wants to improve the opportunities for young people to get employment. There were a couple of biases in my brief. The criteria were directed to schools with low retention rates, schools between 40 and 50 years old and schools in lower income areas. It is amazing that a Labor member of Parliament criticises, by implication, this Government for helping students in those poorer areas, and in the less well-equipped schools in this State. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
I considered those schools carefully and, with the exception of Beverley District High School, I have visited every one of them. I have walked around the schools with parents and teachers and looked at what needs to be done. The member for Willagee should support this allocation of funds. I have been to schools in opposition electorates and I have made decisions to improve those schools. One of the criteria I gave to the Director General of Education was to concentrate on those schools at which retention rates are not as high as the state average and on schools that might be deemed to be in relatively lower socioeconomic areas. The Government wants to improve the opportunities for young people to get employment. There were a couple of biases in my brief. The criteria were directed to schools with low retention rates, schools between 40 and 50 years old and schools in lower income areas. It is amazing that a Labor member of Parliament criticises, by implication, this Government for helping students in those poorer areas, and in the less well-equipped schools in this State. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr Carpenter: Did you alter or affect the recommendations of the department? Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr BARNETT: I have been involved directly in every single decision for which I have responsibility in Education, and I will continue to be involved. I developed that list of schools in conjunction with the director general. Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr Carpenter: Did you alter the recommendations? Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
Mr BARNETT: No, I do not alter recommendations. There was a lot of discussion about school projects. When the recommendation was made to me, I endorsed it.
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