Building Better Schools Program

112 Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (24 July 2018). Can the minister guarantee that Blackwood High School will receive $7 million under the Building Better Schools Infrastructure Program and be able to progress with plans to build a new building containing new learning areas, a commercial kitchen, canteen, conference room and change room facilities, as outlined on the Department for Education and Child Development's website?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education): I have been advised of the following:

The government proposes to deliver this school's Building Better Schools project in line with the announced dollar value as described.

The illustrations and lists of desired improvements prepared for all schools in the program clearly stated 'These initial plans are subject to further planning and may change'. This statement was placed under the illustration when the former government was in power as the allocation to each school was determined before the scoping documents were commenced. Neither the former government nor the Department for Education ever provided any guarantee that each school's aspirations could be met in total.

The work currently being undertaken by the Department for Education in collaboration with this school will determine the detail of the final project (or projects) that will go ahead. The guiding principles for the work, developed under the former government, when the Member for Port Adelaide was the minister, and then published in each school's brochure in February 2018 remain:

the removal of old relocatable or modular classrooms

creation of new buildings for schools with growing student numbers

the refurbishment of classrooms and building, transforming then into modern learning areas

landscaping and upgrades of the street frontage.