Gary Gray (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service and Integrity) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, and by reason of the urgent nature of the works, it is expedient that the following proposed work be carried out without having been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works: The Western Cape Residential Campus, Weipa, Queensland.

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Indigenous Land Corporation propose the construction of the Western Cape Residential Campus at Weipa, Queensland, at an estimated cost of $26 million, inclusive of GST. The Western Cape Residential Campus will provide accommodation for up to 120 secondary school children from remote and isolated communities in Far North Queensland to allow them to access schooling at the Western Cape College, Weipa.

The residential campus is an important part of the Closing the Gap strategy through addressing two key targets set by the Council of Australian Governments, COAG: to halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy for Indigenous children within a decade; to half the gap for Indigenous students in year-12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020. Anecdotal evidence suggests that, of the eligible cohort, roughly 500 to 600 young people are not being provided for in terms of secondary school education and this facility will assist in addressing that need.

The proposed facility will provide accommodation for up to 120 children with separate boys and girls accommodation and staff accommodation. This facility will provide a level of amenity to support 120 children, including recreational areas. While the importance of the role of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works is acknowledged in this instance, should an exemption not be granted the facility could not open for the 2012 school year, with a delayed opening in mid that year. This would cause maximum disruption to students who would need to change schools midyear, relocate to a new town away from family and adapt to a new school, new environment and new classmates. This would be very difficult to manage with this particular cohort of students. Additionally, parents would be unlikely to support their children changing schools part the way through an academic year, which would mean planned student transfers to the facility would not, and could not, occur.

Subject to parliamentary approval, construction will commence in 2011 and be completed for the 2012 school year. I note that a proposal to proceed with the construction project without referral to the Public Works Committee is not common. The government very much supports the work of the Public Works Committee and has not taken this decision lightly. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.