School Funding

Mr GEE (Napier) (15:15): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. How will schools across the electorate of Frome benefit under the state government's Building Better Schools program?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (15:15): I'm very pleased to answer this question and thank the member for the question. I know that the local member for Frome is a huge advocate for the schools in and near his electorate and has met with me in some of the schools that are in his electorate, and I have very much enjoyed spending time with them.

A school that will be affected that his electorate will be pleased to know about is Clare High School, which is receiving $5 million as part of the program. I understand that the school has indicated that it will use this to upgrade classrooms and other learning areas. The Balaklava High School will be receiving $4 million. I recently visited Balaklava with the member for Frome, not only to tour around the high school but also to look at the children's centre. The high school had a very unfortunate fire some time ago and is shortly going to be opening an excellent performance unit there, replacing that building, and it is also well underway with its—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey will rise immediately and withdraw and apologise, or I will name him.

Mr WHETSTONE: A point of clarification, sir: what am I apologising for?

The SPEAKER: You are apologising for referring to the Treasurer with the adjective 'gutter' and a noun which I didn't quite catch but which I presume is pejorative.

Mr WHETSTONE: Sir, I would call upon the Treasurer for an apology for calling me racist.

The SPEAKER: Well, we'll come to that. First of all, you will tell us what you called the Treasurer and you will apologise.

Mr WHETSTONE: I didn't call the Treasurer anything. I asked the Treasurer to speak up. He called me a racist. That is why I announced that he was playing in the gutter or he was a gutter smug.

The SPEAKER: A gutter?

Mr WHETSTONE: Smug.

The SPEAKER: How do you spell that?

Mr WHETSTONE: S-M-U-G.

The SPEAKER: Well, this will be a topic at the next Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting in Bangladesh! I think in the interests of orderliness, the member for Chaffey will withdraw and apologise.

Mr WHETSTONE: I will withdraw and apologise as long as the Treasurer—

The SPEAKER: No, you won't do it conditionally. You will just do it straightforwardly, then I will deal with the second matter.

Mr WHETSTONE: I withdraw and apologise.

The SPEAKER: Treasurer?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I withdraw and apologise, sir.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Minister.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: I was halfway through my answer. Balaklava is receiving $4 million on top of the excellent work that they already do, and it was a delight to visit them recently as they were preparing to appear at the Royal Show with some of their steers.

John Pirie is also going to receive $10 million, and what is crucial about John Pirie Secondary School is what a transformation it has experienced in recent times under the relatively new principal, Roger Nottage. Roger, the member for Frome and I spent a significant period of time over two or three visits talking about the expectations and aspirations he has for that school. To be able to offer $10 million to support that was an absolute pleasure and delight, and I know that they will use it very well.