Building Better Schools Program

Mr GEE (Napier) (14:26): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. How will the Department for Education and Child Development manage the Building Better Schools project?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (14:26): I am very pleased to answer this question about this extraordinary level of public infrastructure spending that will be occurring over the next four years. Yesterday, I attended a meeting alongside the Premier and the Treasurer with a number of senior members of the Department for Education, and also the Small Business Commissioner, the Industry Participation Advocate and leaders from the Local Government Association, UDIA, the Master Builders Association and the Australian Institute of Architects, to talk about this very question about how to best manage such a complex and large project.

One of the complexities is that, unlike with the STEM facilities project, which is in fact for more schools—that was 139 schools—at least with that project it was very clear there was a particular kind of learning area that needed to be created, although there would be a lot of variation as it was fitted into individual schools. But for this project, there will be a vast variety, from a completely new build through to internal refurbishments of learning areas as diverse as performing arts spaces, language centres and hospitality.

Of course, previously, the very large project that occurred in South Australia was Building the Education Revolution (BER) funding, which was much more of a cookie-cutter approach, for want of a better term, of a certain range of buildings, essentially, with some variations in some schools that were ready for such variations. So it was much more an approach of, 'Which one do you want? You've chosen this one. This is how it will work.'

With the $692 million project, we are really looking at a very big geographic spread and a very big variety of the nature and kind of work. Therefore, we need to make sure that we are preparing a process that will be very efficient in the use of public funds that will maximise the use of local content, local labourers and local subcontractors and that it is designed well from the beginning. It was a very productive discussion—obviously, just at the beginning—between the architects and the builders and also those representing engineers about how to best design from the beginning to maximise efficiency of trades coming in and out, also making sure that any additional costs or the complete costs of refurbishment are known beforehand. So it was extremely useful.

What was very clear from the meeting is how pleased and eager all of these organisations are to get involved in such a big public infrastructure spend. Everyone wants this to work best for the purposes of education but also to have this have such a good impact on employment; particularly employment across the regions is something that we want to make sure we do as well as we possibly can. So the discussion yesterday was of course just the first stage.

The Department for Education and Child Development will be working closely with these organisations and also working with their interstate colleagues on how to best set up a project management office to minimise project expenses and maximise the impact for the schools.