Shellharbour Electorate School Maintenance

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-98866

Hansard session: Fifty-Sixth Parliament, First Session (56-1)

Shellharbour Electorate School Maintenance

Ms ANNA WATSON (Shellharbour) (12:39:34):

I move:

That this House:

(1)Notes the current maintenance backlog in New South Wales schools totals $775 million, including over $8.5 million in schools across the Shellharbour electorate.

(2)Acknowledges the concerted efforts of parents, staff and students in calling on the Government to immediately address the maintenance backlog.

(3)Notes Oak Flats High School has a backlog of $1,777,498, and a further five schools within the Shellharbour electorate have a maintenance backlog exceeding $500,000.

(4)Acknowledges that at the current rate of expenditure it would take more than 18 years for the maintenance backlog at Oak Flats High School to be addressed.

(5)Condemns the Government for its inaction in addressing the maintenance needs of schools in the Shellharbour electorate.

The current school maintenance backlog, combined with the appalling cuts to funding in Gonski 2.0 and our State's overdependence on demountable classrooms, has exposed this Government's blatant disregard for our students' futures. When figures were released earlier this year they showed that the outstanding maintenance backlog within our schools totalled a staggering $775 million. How much did this Government allocate to address that backlog? It was just $65 million, which is 8 per cent of the amount actually needed. Within the electorate of Shellharbour the school maintenance backlog sits at more than $8.2 million but it has received just $743,334 in funding, which is only about 9 per cent of the amount that is needed. The backlog at Oak Flats High School alone totals $1.7 million. At the current rate of funding, it will not be addressed for 18 years—without accounting for any worsening of conditions or maintenance issues during that time.

The story at Kanahooka High School is very similar. The maintenance backlog at the school will cost more than $950,000. Dapto High School and Oak Flats Public School each require more than $700,000 in additional funding. The maintenance to which I refer does not involve luxuries but rather is very basic. The most common issues reported are toilet and sewer upgrades, roof repairs, flooring, painting, guttering and replacement of broken windows. The Government is failing to deliver high-quality classrooms and educational facilities for our students. Our children deserve the best possible education, which means providing the best possible learning environment. However, the New South Wales Government seems content to allow our local schools to fall into disrepair.

Gonski was working. Hayes Park Public School was one of the most disadvantaged schools in my electorate, with 67 per cent of its students recognised as coming from low socio-economic backgrounds. Under Gonski years one to four, that school received more than $388,000 in additional funding. Under this Government's new bargain basement Gonski, Hayes Park Public School will receive half a million dollars less in funding—and that school is definitely not the worst off. Warilla High School, Oak Flats High School and Lake Illawarra High School have lost approximately $1.1 million in funding each under Gonski 2.0. Shamefully, the entire Shellharbour electorate has been stripped of $11 million in school funding. That is despite the Government being led by a Premier who once promised to "make sure the Federal Government sticks to all its commitments in relation to Gonski".

In Shellharbour across a total of just seven schools there are currently 36 demountable classrooms in use that are taking up precious playground space. Dapto Public School has the greatest number of demountable classrooms—12—which are also impacting upon green space. Demountable classrooms were designed to be temporary structures in our schools. Their overuse is a sign of short-sightedness and poor planning by this Government. The New South Wales Government will need to create 300,000 new school places to keep up with the needs of the State's population over the next 15 years. The Government is not planning for the future. It is even letting the currently inadequate infrastructure degrade. West Dapto is one of the fastest-growing areas in the State and it continues to be serviced by only one primary school and one high school. Yet the Government has no plans for new schools and has acquired no land on which to build new schools.

Research has shown that the area will require eight more primary schools and a further three high schools. This is an estimate based on local developments having been completed and accounted for. What is this Government doing about that? Absolutely nothing. To address the population growth in the area, Dapto Public School was relocated to West Dapto in 2004. The school was the first, and to this day remains the only, primary school in the area. At capacity, Dapto Public School is struggling to meet the growing demand in this area. The education and future of our State's children will always trump party politics. I call on the Government to quit playing party politics and invest funding where it is undeniably needed—in our State's classrooms and our schools.

Mr GARETH WARD (Kiama) (12:44:43):

Before I begin my speech as the Parliamentary Secretary for Education on the motion moved by the member for Shellharbour, I acknowledge Keiran Cato and Sarah Clarke in the public gallery. I point out to the member for Shellharbour that sometimes there is not a Liberal thing to do or a Labor thing to do; there is just a right thing to do. That is one of the reasons that this Government was the first to sign up to Gonski. This Government maintains a strong and unequivocal commitment to the agreement it has with any future government. As a student who went through the public school system with a disability and who had to go to the library and spend time outside of my classes enlarging notes so that I could read them and participate, and as a student with a disability who would have benefited from Gonski funding, I say to the member for Shellharbour that there is no greater champion of education funding in this State than the Government.

I also say that this issue should be beyond politics. I was sorry to note the manner in which the member for Shellharbour politicised education funding in this State. The Minister for Education and I have a great relationship with Labor's shadow Minister for Education and we have reached consensus on issues of funding to ensure that students and young people get the best education possible. I have some news for the member for Shellharbour, who should stop doing what she is doing and listen to me for a change. I am absolutely delighted to inform the House that today I announced a multimillion-dollar upgrade to Dapto Public School for new classrooms.

I acknowledge that both the member for Shellharbour and I have raised the issue about classrooms. I took this up directly with the Minister for Education to make sure that the issues at that school are addressed. I am very pleased that before walking into the Chamber today I was able to make that announcement. I hope that the member for Shellharbour joins me in welcoming that investment in Dapto. Perhaps when the member replies to the debate she may rethink some of the claims she made during her earlier speech. I would be very eager to hear that.

The New South Wales Government offers the highest quality of teaching and learning. The Government is committed to ensuring that buildings and playgrounds are maintained at a high standard through a never‑before‑seen investment in planned maintenance. A record-breaking $747 million will be invested over the next four years to reduce our schools planned maintenance liability to an approved benchmark of 3 per cent of the asset replacement value. Like our own homes, there is always maintenance to be done. When we have an asset it appreciates, and of course we need to maintain our assets. There will always be a gap, but how big the gap is can be addressed by funding. I am very pleased that the Government has sought to address that.

The investment of $747 million is the single largest investment in maintenance in the State's history. It is certainly not a minor investment. Schools across the State will benefit from this investment. From Shellharbour to Singleton and Balmain to Brewarrina, this unprecedented investment will ensure that our public schools are well maintained. That can only improve learning outcomes for students. This cash injection means that the Government's maintenance blitz will result in 2,100 schools across the State having their maintenance projects attended to. Under the program, roofing, floor coverings, painting and other items will be fixed by December 2018. This will mean that any school will have little or no outstanding maintenance as a result of this extraordinary initiative.

The Government's excellent financial management and commitment to providing the local infrastructure that our community needs to thrive means that we can support, and are supporting, our families and students in Shellharbour. As part of that program more than $3 million has been invested in schools in the Shellharbour electorate to ensure that they are well maintained and offer great learning environments for students and teachers. I take this opportunity to commend all the hardworking principals, teachers and staff throughout the State. I have met many of the principals and teachers in the Shellharbour electorate. We can all be proud of the job that our State's teachers do in all our schools. All 20 local schools in Shellharbour will benefit from this record maintenance program by having their highest-priority maintenance tasks addressed.

At Oak Flats High School alone, which the member for Shellharbour mentioned, more than $600,000 will be invested as part of this initiative. A portfolio of assets the size of the Department of Education's will always have a planned maintenance liability. With a $25 billion property portfolio of 2,200 schools, there will always be maintenance work to be done. Anyone who owns a house knows that there are always maintenance jobs to do, but good management will keep the list as short as possible, and that is exactly what we are doing. Since coming into Government, the estimated cost of the backlog maintenance list has already been slashed from more than $1 billion under Labor to around $775 million. The Government's significant investment will stabilise and further reduce the maintenance liability, and bring it in line with the 3 per cent of the asset replacement value benchmark by December next year.

The Department of Education already has a well-defined maintenance strategy that ensures all statutory and preventive maintenance is addressed when it is due to ensure that our schools are safe and compliant—as they should be. We are taking this a step further by improving the way that we manage and prioritise maintenance projects through a new triage system. A new delivery body, School Infrastructure NSW, has also been established to drive the delivery of new and upgraded schools and the ongoing maintenance of schools. Planned maintenance will continue to be undertaken in parallel and in consultation with school principals. Addressing maintenance over and above the agreed benchmark of 3 per cent of the replacement value of the asset will continue to be the highest priority.

I often visit schools around our State and I always work with the local members, regardless of their political colour. I was recently in the Hunter and met with the member for Newcastle and the member for Swansea to inspect some local schools. I extend, as I have in the past, the offer to the member for Shellharbour to visit any of her schools to see firsthand some of the great work or any of the issues that she wishes to raise. The Government is delivering local infrastructure to cater for the needs of a growing State. As I am sure members are aware, the number of students enrolling in government schools is increasing significantly each year. This is fantastic news and a testament to the great teaching and learning being delivered across New South Wales government schools.

Over the next four years the Government will invest $4.2 billion in the development of new and upgraded schools to cater for this growing student population. The Government is not only providing for growth but also committed to ensuring that our schools are in the best possible condition. We are proud of our commitment to public education and to delivering high-quality learning environments for New South Wales students, including in Shellharbour. This issue should not be partisan; it should be bipartisan. We should all be focused on doing the most we can. Not every student will have the best job, house or carpet, but everyone deserves to have the best shot at it. That is why the Government remains strongly committed to public education.

Ms SONIA HORNERY (Wallsend) (12:51:50):

I am certainly committed to public education, having taught in some of the toughest public schools in New South Wales for 18 years. I support the motion moved by my good friend and colleague the member for Shellharbour. Public schools across New South Wales, but particularly in my electorate of Wallsend, have continued to lose out under this Government. In the Wallsend electorate the total maintenance backlog exceeds a whopping $10 million. That is totally unacceptable. The five schools struggling most with their maintenance backlog are: Glendale Technology High School, with a backlog of more than $1.1 million; Waratah West Public School, with more than $750,000; and Callaghan College Wallsend Campus, Lambton Public School and Beresfield Public School, which all having backlogs exceeding $600,000.

When I visit schools—which I do as often as I can, and particularly public schools—I hear from teachers, principals and parents who are concerned about the maintenance issue. There is a massive $775 million maintenance backlog statewide. It is unacceptable that students and teachers work in classrooms that are run down and dilapidated. I know this because I have taught in schools and classrooms like that. It is impossible to teach and it is impossible for students to learn in demountables that have no blinds or windows and that are hot in summer and freezing cold in summer. How can teachers teach and how do students learn in those environments?

At current rates, some schools will be waiting more than 20 years before their growing maintenance backlogs are cleared. This will not happen unless the Government provides a much-needed cash injection into our areas. What sort of Government would allow public schools to deteriorate to the point where parents and carers must chip in to fix the air-conditioning in the children's classrooms? It is not acceptable for this Government to have allowed this backlog to balloon to such drastic levels. The Wallsend and Shellharbour electorates need a commitment from the Government on basic infrastructure, including a committed plan to address the maintenance backlog at all our local schools. There seems to be a lack of planning to address this problem.

Our children deserve the best possible education, and that means providing the best possible learning environment. It might not be flashy, but it is absolutely necessary. Just ask any local kid who has to try to learn in a classroom that is a refrigerator in July and a sauna in February. The Government has failed to restore the funding that it cut in its 2011 budget, when $270 million was slashed from school capital works funding. It is appalling that this Government continues to wield the knife and to slash the Education budget. Only a Labor Government will invest properly in our public schools. I urge the Government to provide the cash injection that our schools urgently need so that students have well-maintained facilities that provide the best learning environments for all our children.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Geoff Provest):

Before I call the member for Oatley, I remind everyone that a Lions club charity barbeque is being held right now. I know that the member for Gosford has partaken, which is very good. All the funds raised today will go to St John Ambulance.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (12:56:11):

That is a very good cause. Only a Liberal-Nationals Government can properly fund public education. I will repeat that for those on the other side who are hard of hearing: Only a Liberal-Nationals Government can properly fund public education in New South Wales. That is why this Government will invest more than $4 billion in the development of new schools and school upgrades across New South Wales in the next four years. In fact, the Government is not only providing for growth but also committed to ensuring that our schools are well maintained and safe. That is why we have continued to increase funding for maintenance in schools in New South Wales. This Government is committed to reducing the maintenance liability that was left behind by the previous Labor Government.

Ms Anna Watson:

This is such an old song.

Mr MARK COURE:

It is not; it is true. In the next three minutes today it is important that we compare the facts. We are investing a record-breaking $747 million over the next four years to tackle the maintenance liability that was left by the last Labor Government and to address a backlog of deferred maintenance items such as roof repairs, painting, replacement of carpets and more. It is important to note that in the last two years of the previous Labor Government only $122 million was spent on maintenance in public schools. This Government is committed to spending three to four times that amount in the same time frame. Those opposite should note that all statutory and important maintenance is completed as a first priority to ensure that our schools are safe and compliant.

Ms Liesl Tesch:

Let us see it in the Gosford electorate.

Mr MARK COURE:

I acknowledge the interjection. This motion is focused on schools in the Shellharbour electorate. It gives me great pleasure to inform the House—and of course the local member—that schools across the Shellharbour electorate will benefit from this Government's record spend on maintenance. Public schools in the Shellharbour electorate will receive more than $3 million for maintenance programs. The motion also pays particular attention to Oaks Flats High School am pleased to inform this House that Oak Flats High School is at the top of the list to receive funding.

I am sure all members appreciate that all assets need ongoing maintenance. An example is the painting of the Harbour Bridge, because we know that once they finish painting one end, they start all over again. Even with the Government's record spend on school maintenance, it will come as no surprise that with a property portfolio valued at $25 billion, maintenance will always be required and it is a high priority. This record spend on maintenance will reach right across the State, not just in Shellharbour but in schools in my electorate. Around 2,100 schools across New South Wales will benefit from this Government's maintenance commitment. Under the program, roofing, floorcoverings, painting and other items at the end of their useful life will be fixed. We are getting on with the job of fixing our public schools.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Geoff Provest):

I remind the House that today is the birthday of the member for Oatley and I wish him many happy returns.

Mr KEVIN ANDERSON (Tamworth) (13:00:30):

I convey my congratulations and birthday wishes to the member for Oatley. When Parliament sits, our work is all-encompassing and members are often away from their loved ones for celebratory occasions. I wish the member for Oatley a happy birthday.

Mr CHRIS PATTERSON (Camden) (13:01:10):

I also wish the member for Oatley a happy birthday. This time last year, the member for Oatley was the Deputy Whip—has he not risen through the ranks? I support the contributions of the member for Kiama and the member for Oatley to the debate on the member for Shellharbour's motion on school maintenance. Members on both sides of the House agree that New South Wales government schools offer the highest quality teaching and learning. The New South Wales Government is committed to ensuring that school buildings and playgrounds are maintained at the highest possible standard. How are we achieving this? We will make the biggest-ever investment in planned school maintenance. Recently I talked to the Minister for Education about school maintenance, and he said that to get the best outcomes for our learners and our dedicated teachers, we need to provide the best environment we can. The Minister is passionate in his belief in investing in school maintenance. This year's State budget delivers the biggest ever investment in planned school maintenance. Schools across the State will benefit from this investment—schools from Shellharbour to Singleton, Balmain to Brewarrina—

Ms Liesl Tesch:

Gosford.

Mr CHRIS PATTERSON:

Gosford will benefit, as will schools in Camden. I acknowledge the hard work of the staff in the Minister's office. I have read the flyer they have put out about school maintenance projects and noted that all the public schools in Camden will benefit from dramatically increased funding to tackle the maintenance backlog. This cash injection does not mean that only schools within Camden will benefit from the significant increase in funding in the State budget as some 2,100 schools across New South Wales will have maintenance programs attended to. This maintenance will include roofing, floorcoverings and painting, with all the maintenance programs anticipated to be completed by Christmas 2018. This Government is committed to school maintenance. I look forward to this program being completed across the State over the coming 12 months.

Ms ANNA WATSON (Shellharbour) (13:05:20):

In reply: I thank the member for Wallsend, the member for Kiama, the member for Oatley and the member for Camden for their contributions to the debate on my motion on school maintenance in the Shellharbour electorate. The member for Kiama appears to have a new mantra about doing the right thing, but that does not fit with his contribution. The member for Kiama is the Parliamentary Secretary for Education, but he is all pastry and no pie on this issue. While I always welcome new money being spent on schools—and I am more than pleased with $3 million for Dapto Primary School—what this Government is promising is simply not enough. There is an $8.2 million backlog in school maintenance across my electorate, and there is much more maintenance to be done. Parents and students have been fighting for funding for school maintenance, and I congratulate them on their endeavours.

The member for Wallsend understands issues surrounding the school maintenance backlog, being a former schoolteacher. She understands that the learning environment is a very important place for our children, who deserve much better than they get. We must remember that $1.1 million in funding will be cut from the three schools that I mentioned in my contribution, which leaves me shaking my head that the member for Kiama glossed over the contents of this motion. The school maintenance backlog is just one of many symptoms of this Government's disregard for our State's children. There has been an 18-year wait to meet the most basic maintenance needs of our schools, which is unacceptable. I remind the House that these figures cannot be disputed. The school maintenance backlog in the Shellharbour electorate is $8.2 million. Under Gonski 2.0, our schools have lost $11 million in additional funding. In the seven schools in Shellharbour, students are forced to have lessons in demountables. There is a need for new schools to cater for the growing population of West Dapto, but this need continues to be ignored by this Government and the member for Kiama.

Illawarra Mercury

This is clearly not an isolated issue. We lost funding under the revision of Gonski and now we are relying on demountables and temporary school structures. The maintenance backlog has highlighted the poor planning and low standards of this Government. It talks about a planning document, and I would like to see that document because this Government continues to cut corners and pinch pennies in the areas of greatest funding need. Its decisions are undoubtedly compromising the quality of our education system and thus having an impact on our students. I remind the House that every child has the right to study in a safe and clean school. By ignoring the maintenance backlog, by cutting funding and by refusing to plan for the long-term future of our students, this Government is failing New South Wales. I call on the Government and the member for Kiama to address the outstanding school maintenance backlog in my electorate and in every electorate across New South Wales. Dapto High School has a well-respected principal, Mr FitzSimons. He is quoted in the as saying:

Our school can house about 1,100 students but we expect enrolments will rise above that in the years to come.

Mr FitzSimons said some years ago there was talk of two high schools and six new primary schools being built in the Dapto area. But the current [NSW Education] departmental thinking is that they won't build a new high school until there is a possibility of 2,000 students and they won't build another primary school until there is the prospect of 1,000.

Time expired

That is clearly unacceptable and I would like that to go on the public record and see what the member for Kiama has to say about that. []

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Geoff Provest):

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

The House divided

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Ayes34

Noes45

Majority11

Motion negatived

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