Torrens Electorate Schools

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:49): The South Australian Electoral Commission boundary redistribution saw significant changes to the electoral boundaries in South Australia and in particular in the seat of Torrens. Some of the suburbs are now part of the seat of Enfield, and another falls into the seat of Newland. While it was disappointing to lose the suburbs to other electorates, the reality is, of course, that they have not moved, so I still get to meet up with the many families I have come to know so well when I am out and about in the community, at local events, sporting functions, shopping centres and school events. In addition to the Port Adelaide Enfield council and the Tea Tree Gully council, I also now have the Walkerville council.

The redistribution saw the new suburbs of Vale Park and Manningham become part of the Torrens electorate along with the remaining parts of Dernancourt, Klemzig and Gilles Plains. I made it a priority to learn everything I could about the new areas so I can work with them for the benefit of each suburb, the Torrens community as a whole and of course our wonderful state of South Australia.

Today, I want to highlight some of what is important in my electorate of Torrens, with a particular focus on education. Three public schools in Torrens were among the 139 South Australian schools to benefit through the former Labor government's $250 million investment in the STEM Works program, a program that delivered new or upgraded facilities for science, technology, engineering and maths in 77 public primary schools, 44 high schools and R-12 schools across the state.

Last week, I was delighted to see the enthusiasm and the passion that children at Wandana Primary School in Gilles Plains demonstrated for their new STEM building. I look forward in coming weeks to the opening of new STEM facilities at Hampstead Primary School and also Hillcrest Primary School. As a former teacher, I am proud that education is always a high priority for a Labor government.

I have spoken in this place of the great importance to the local community of Avenues College, comprising the amalgamation of two schools—Windsor Gardens Secondary College, formerly known as Gilles Plains High School, and Windsor Gardens Vocational College—with the Gilles Plains Primary School. Labor committed the value of the Gilles Plains site, which at the time was $6.7 million, to the amalgamation, with an additional $8.3 million as an election commitment, taking the total to $15 million. I have written to and met with the new minister, requesting that the Liberal government meet Labor's commitment for the infrastructure build, which includes a new preschool and an upgrade to the existing buildings, which were built in the late 1950s, so that the primary and secondary students could be adequately accommodated.

We have already missed the time frame for moving the Beatty Avenue campus to the McKay Avenue campus for the intended 2019 opening. I have met with the minister on this issue, and with an increase in value of the Gilles Plains site and an additional $2.8 million, taking the total to $9.7 million, the move is now scheduled for the beginning of the 2020 school year. That is a good 12 months behind. While the minister's recent approval of the $2.8 million is welcome, it is a long way off what the current and future students of Avenues College need for them to have the adequate, appropriate facilities they deserve. The minister can be assured that I will continue to knock on his door—

Ms Bedford: You're going to get calluses, too.

Ms WORTLEY: Yes, I will fill his email box, and I will continue to request meetings to this end. Again affecting the students at Avenues College is the cancellation of the Labor government's laptop program, a program to supply a free laptop to every public school student in year 10. Within two years, all public students in years 10, 11 and 12 would have had a government-funded laptop to use at school and to take home to assist with homework in their years 11 and 12 studies. Also, they would have been able to keep the devices after graduating, setting them up to commence further studies at university or TAFE or to assist them in joining the workforce. The laptop for students program would have ensured all students—

Time expired.