Public Works Committee: Loxton High School Redevelopment

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:17): I move:

That the 50^th report of the committee for the Fifty-Fourth Parliament, entitled Loxton High School Redevelopment, be noted.

Witnesses presented to the Public Works Committee at a public hearing on 13 February 2020 regarding the proposed Loxton High School redevelopment project. Loxton High School is located on Bookpurnong Road in Loxton in the District Council of Loxton Waikerie. Future enrolments at the school are expected to increase with the transition of year 7 students to high school in 2022.

The proposed Loxton High School redevelopment will include new buildings, refurbishment of existing facilities and the demolition of aged transportable classrooms. The Department for Education has advised that Loxton High School has a strong agricultural focus, and one of the new buildings will be an agricultural centre expected to create flexible indoor/outdoor opportunities for farming students and the preparation of school-grown products.

When complete, the proposed redevelopment is expected to provide the high school with the capacity to accommodate up to 700 students from the existing Loxton High School site. When complete the Loxton High School redevelopment is expected to provide a connected, multidisciplinary learning environment that engages all learners in a safe, healthy and contemporary learning space that supports 21^st century pedagogy and creative and flexible learning spaces to support the transition of year 7 students to high school, as earlier mentioned, in 2022. Specifically, the scope of works for the redevelopment will include:

the construction of a new classroom building with six general learning areas;

a learning street with an external covered outdoor learning area connected with the adjoining STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) building;

the construction of a new agricultural building providing general learning spaces, office and storage with an adjoining covered outdoor learning area;

the refurbishment of technical studies, involving the upgrade of equipment and amenities;

the installation of new cooling to the theatre and installation of evaporative cooling to the activity hall;

the construction of additional shade to provide shade adjacent to the administration and existing decking external to the canteen; and

the demolition of aged transportable classrooms, as mentioned.

The estimated total cost of the Loxton High School redevelopment is $5 million, and construction is expected to be complete by June 2021. The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to this project and received assurances from Department for Education and DPTI officials that the appropriate consultation in relation to the project had been undertaken.

The committee is satisfied that the proposal has been subject to the appropriate agency consultation and meets the criteria for the examination of projects set out in the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991. Based on the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee recommends the scope of the proposed public works at Loxton High School and recommends the proposal to the house.

Motion carried.