School Maintenance Program

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister advise the house how the Marshall Liberal government is building what matters in the state's west and north-west?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:36): I thank the member for Flinders for this question. His passion for rural and regional South Australia, not just in his electorate but indeed across the whole of the western half of South Australia, is well known. I really appreciate having the opportunity to once again talk about some of the outstanding work being done by educators on Eyre Peninsula and the APY lands and across the western half of South Australia.

We know, of course, there is significant investment in this region of South Australia—$150 million worth of infrastructure projects in the member for Flinders' electorate and the member for Giles' electorate, and indeed I know both those members welcomed those investments passionately. They have been joined by investments in our preschools and our schools as a result of the coronavirus pandemic budget investments for stimulus for urgent maintenance work that is being done.

In the member for Flinders' electorate, I can tell the member that grants of between $20,000 and $100,000 have been given to Ceduna, Cleve, Cummins, Elliston, Karcultaby, Kirton Point, Koonibba, Lake Wangary, Lincoln Gardens, Lock, Miltaburra, Penong, Poonindie, Port Lincoln High, Port Lincoln Junior Primary, Port Lincoln Primary and Port Lincoln Special School, Port Neill, Streaky Bay, Tumby Bay, Ungarra, Wudinna and Yalata. There are many schools across Flinders, many diverse circumstances.

The member for Giles knows, too, that there are even more, I suspect, in number—different circumstances across his electorate. He will be pleased to know, I am sure, that schools at Amata, Andamooka, Coober Pedy, Cowell, Ernabella, Fisk Street, Fregon, Hawker, Hincks Avenue, Indulkana, Kenmore Park, Kimba, Long Street Primary School, Memorial Oval Primary School, Mimili, Murputja, Nicolson Avenue, Oak Valley, Oodnadatta, Pipalyatjara, Quorn, Roxby Downs, Whyalla Special Education Centre, Whyalla Stuart, Whyalla Town and Woomera have also benefited from those stimulus grants of $20,000 to $100,000, depending on their size and circumstance, enabling those schools to get some really important immediate maintenance work done. Often they are jobs that have been waiting for a couple of years, over and above what the school regularly does out of their resources.

In regard to preschools, not only did each of the government preschools across all sites in South Australia get a $20,000 extra grant last year to do urgent jobs but they got another $30,000 to be spent this year. It is great for the education sites. It is critically important for jobs in local communities because every single one of those dozens of towns and rural and remote centres in the west of the state I just went through has painters or, potentially, bricklayers, renovators, tilers, electricians or people putting together nature play areas. All those sites, whatever the site needs, are providing local jobs.

I am also really pleased to advise that some of the significant infrastructure projects in the state's west are going very well. The member for Flinders would be pleased to know that in Ceduna a $4 million project is on the way to delivery, along with Cummins, another $4 million project, and $15 million at Port Lincoln High School before the end of this year.

In the seat of Giles, the Fregon Anangu School has a $15.7 million project due to be completed in the next couple of years. It is a significant redevelopment of the primary and secondary buildings: new home economics, a new canteen and a roof on the basketball court and playground. There is a $7 million project at Roxby Downs and, of course, the $100 million new school at Whyalla to be opened next year.

We are also building the capacity of staff in the regions. We are really pleased that the Teach For Australia program has its first three pilot associates—two in Roxby Downs—and STEM teachers filling roles that have been hard to fill and a music teacher at Whyalla Stuart, again roles really hard to fill. I have had great feedback on how that expertise is lifting the capacity in the schools in those areas. The important work done in our schools is so much appreciated by all of us, I'm sure.