Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to put on record today as a matter of public interest the following statement on the federal government's Building the Education Revolution initiatives:

News of the funding through Building the Education Revolution was like "winning the lottery" for thousands of Australian schools.

The money was something school principals and teachers could only dream about. It was a dream come true.

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But, before those opposite criticise me for pushing the government's line on the BER projects, let me enlighten you: these are not my words. They are not my description of the BER funding. These words of praise and gratitude come straight from Janine Milsop, the Principal of Mulga Street Primary School in Mount Gambier in South Australia's south-east. As a result of the BER funding, Mulga Street Primary School now boasts a brand-new and very impressive state-of-the-art learning centre with eight classrooms; a multipurpose room; 44 computers in specially constructed hubs; laptops for staff; new furniture; interactive whiteboards; and a covered outdoor learning area. They also have a wet area for science and technology, new toilets and a kitchenette.

Still in Mount Gambier, the 1,310 students at Tenison Woods College are thoroughly enjoying the very impressive Barrie Holmes Stadium. This $3.2 million project delivered the extension of the school's single-court gym into a two-court stadium used by students for sport and training, assemblies, drama, group sessions and musicals. And it supported the employment of approximately 100 workers. The federal government's contribution in these areas was $13 million. The total BER funding for Barker alone is almost $166 million.

It is vital that the Australian public know the real story behind the BER projects, despite the complaints being put forward by those opposite, who seek time after time to denigrate the value of the federal government's Building the Education Revolution and all the while ignore the fact that schools throughout Australia—public schools, Catholic schools and independent schools—of all shapes and sizes and in all geographical regions have been reinvigorated by the funding. I know this because I have seen firsthand the joy and optimism this funding has brought to South Australian city and country schools. It is immeasurable, and it is fantastic to see the difference the BER funding has made. School pride is flourishing across Australia, and in country areas too.

But I do not expect anyone to simply take my word for it. I am happy for the principals to do the talking, and I would now like to continue to share some of that feedback that I received from those principals. Mulga Street principal Ms Milsop says the $3.2 million her school received in BER Funding was an amount 'we could previously only dream about, and we knew this time would probably never come again'. She said that, if the school had had to raise the money by itself, it would have had to hold 10 fundraisers every year for the next 100 years to raise the amount of money allocated through the funding, and at each of those 10 annual fundraisers the school would have had to raise a minimum of $3,000. The Mulga Street Primary School project was meticulously planned and administered, and the results are absolutely outstanding, and it supported the employment of 64 workers.

McDonald Park Primary School Principal Mrs Sandy Davey said her Mount Gambier school received $5.3 million in BER funding, which was used to build a new classroom block with eight new classrooms, covered outdoor learning areas, refurbished classrooms and sporting facilities. Mrs Davey said:

The BER gave us the opportunity to bring everything up to a top standard.

This project supported the employment of approximately 25 workers.

Now let us move to the Adelaide suburb of Parkside, where Parkside Primary School students and teachers are enjoying a new hall and a refurbished classroom after receiving $1.125 million in BER funding. Principal Dennis Harris said it was not long ago that the school had given up all hope of ever having a hall which could be used as a gym and a performing arts centre and for school assemblies. For 10 years the school tried unsuccessfully to raise enough money for the deposit. That dream was about to come to an end when the BER money came through. 'It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' for these schools, Mr Harris said.

North Adelaide Primary School Acting Principal Mike Thurston and his school community welcomed the construction of their $2.125 million gymnasium through the BER funding. This project supported the employment of approximately 50 workers in the local community, and I again quote from the acting principal:

As a public school, we are so thankful … we feel the whole management process in South Australia was run well and … the Department of Education and Children's Services in South Australia … was very supportive. No mumbles or grumbles from schools in South Australia.

This is Mr Thurston's view on their BER project. Again, it is not mine or the Gillard government's; it is that of the school principals. This is from the very people who have seen the difference in their schools and the benefits reaped by students. There is an added bonus for the community. The North Adelaide Primary School gym is also used by the community for activities ranging from yoga and pilates classes to belly dancing classes.

I move now to Reidy Park Primary School in Mount Gambier. Reidy Park Primary School received $3.2 million in BER money for its new library and building refurbishment and it employed 43 workers. Reidy Park Primary School Principal Mrs Barbara Munt describes the school's BER project as:

… a magnificent initiative which gave money and employment to people when the global economy was volatile.

She went on to say:

It also left our school with a legacy. It was like winning the lottery for our school. It's 54 years old and the classrooms were tired and old-fashioned and in desperate need of refurbishment.

Mrs Munt also said:

… politics aside, the BER is an outstanding initiative, absolutely outstanding. Idon't know any primary school principals who are not utterly grateful.

No wonder Mrs Munt, the students and teachers are happy. Their classrooms have been transformed from a fifties environment to one which is conducive to 21st century learning, with computer hubs in classrooms.

Mrs Barbara Skillin, the Acting Principal of Yahl Primary School in Mount Gambier, said the school's new BER funded library is 'absolutely beautiful' and has 'made a huge difference'. She said:

In our old library we couldn't even fit a class in. It was really, really small. This new library has made such a difference to the children's learning. There are computers in there as well as laptops and we're planning to get iPads. Space conducive to new technology. We can now hold whole-school assemblies in the library.

The new Yahl Primary School library received $925,000 in funding and it supported the employment of over 40 workers.

Mil Lel Primary School in Mount Gambier received $925,000 for the construction of four classrooms and two smaller work-preparation areas which have replaced transportable buildings that were dated and in need of ongoing repairs. Principal Stephen Jolley said the new classrooms made an excellent environment for teaching and learning and the project supported the employment of 25 workers.

Compton Primary School near Mount Gambier also received $925,000 in Building the Education Revolution money. This project supported the employment of approximately 15 workers. They built four cosy and comfortable classrooms, complete with interactive whiteboards, as well as a new library. The school's old library was transformed into an art gallery. The school said they had hired an excellent builder and received very good value for money. The school is almost 150 years old. It was run-down and, in the words of the principal, Sandy Mullen, it was a real poor country cousin of a school. Ms Mullen, who has now been there for six years, said:

The District Director of Education remarked to me that I wasn't at Compton Primary School for the facilities.

But Ms Mullen said that today the facilities are much improved. The staff room is no longer a cubby hole, and the students are more engaged because they have a beautiful new area to work in. They are also very conscious of maintaining the new look and respecting property as well as people's possessions because it is all so new.

The BER project at Belair Schools—Belair Primary and Belair Junior Primary schools—in Adelaide's southern suburbs supported the employment of approximately 125 workers. Co-principals Christine McDonald and Susan Copeland cannot wipe the smiles off their faces because these schools now have a new library, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, refurbished classrooms and a covered outdoor learning area. Transportable classrooms were taken away, playgrounds upgraded and more roof-top solar panels have been added. Students can even see how much power they are putting back into the electricity grid. Ms McDonald also praised the Department of Education and Children's Services in South Australia for a 'brilliant job'. She also asked me to pass this on to my colleagues in parliament and let them know what a difference the BER project has made to the schools and how 'exciting' it is.

I could go on for a long time. I could talk about the BER project at St Martin's Primary School at Greenacres which was 'well managed, on budget and on time', according to Principal Maria D'Aloia. Or I could talk about the year 7 learning centre and multipurpose hall extension at Scotch College. This $2.69 million project employed 16 workers and, in the words of the principal, Mr Tim Oughton, 'went smoothly and was well administered'. Or I could talk about the Mount Gambier High School's newly refurbished science laboratory, which is now, as Principal Peter McKay explained, big enough to fit everyone in. He said that prior to this the students were literally 'jammed' in, but today that is no longer the case. The science laboratory has been extended so a whole class can fit in comfortably and enjoy the interactive whiteboards, architecturally designed benches and modern facilities for practical science lessons.

The federal government had the foresight to ensure Australia escaped largely unscathed from the global financial crisis by implementing our $42 billion Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan, which included Building the Education Revolution projects. In fact, through the Building the Education Revolution program, the government has invested $16.2 billion in schools right across Australia. But there is no denying the views of principals, students, teachers and parents. All in all, the message is the same: these projects have made a huge difference to many schools across Australia. At the schools I have visited, the comments and responses I have received from the students have all been very positive. They are now learning in environments which have new halls, new gymnasiums, new classrooms and are much improved.

I have felt privileged to be a member of a government that introduced the largest school modernisation program in Australia's history. It was not just in one state or for one sector, but right across Australia and for all sectors—Independent, Catholic and public schools. I have met these school communities in my home state and, to say the least, they are very pleased with the outcomes. It has been a great opportunity for teachers, for schools and for school communities to receive what is really deserved in our school education system. I also take this opportunity to say it has been a privilege to have been able to serve as a senator for South Australia in the past six years and to have represented the people in Barker as well.