Parliamentary Committees

Public Works Committee: Seaford Secondary College Redevelopment

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:01): I move:

That the 107^th report of the committee for the Fifty-Fourth Parliament, entitled Seaford Secondary College Redevelopment, be noted.

Seaford Secondary College is located on Lynton Terrace, Seaford, within the City of Onkaparinga. The college offers specialist subjects including science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM courses) and courses in entrepreneurship focusing on arts, sciences and specialist sports programs for volleyball and soccer. A disability unit is located on the site, which caters for a diverse range of learning needs and empowers students to achieve their full potential.

Seaford Secondary College was allocated funding of $8 million as part of the Department for Education's capital works program. In February 2020, Seaford Secondary College had 855 enrolments, and the redevelopment will involve the demolition of aged accommodation, new works and the refurbishment to ensure that 1,200 students can be accommodated on the school site.

The proposed scope of works for the Seaford Secondary College redevelopment project includes construction of a new performing arts facility providing specialist learning for drama and music, refurbishment of the senior school study hall and general learning area, refurbishment of the middle school general learning areas and student amenities, refurbishment of the middle school food technology spaces, upgrade of the existing senior school courtyard, construction of a new external multisports court, upgrade of the existing court surfaces and fencing, and demolition of two buildings. The cost estimate for the redevelopment works at Seaford Secondary College is $8 million, and construction is expected to be completed by August this year.

The committee, as you would anticipate, Mr Speaker, examined written and oral evidence in relation to this project and received assurances that the appropriate consultation with respect to the project had been undertaken. The committee is satisfied that the proposal has been subject to the appropriate agency consultation and does meet the criteria for the examination of projects described in the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991. Based on the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, I report to the house that the committee recommends the proposed scope of works that I earlier described.

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (11:04): As a member of parliament, there are a lot of things you have to deal with that are sometimes difficult or sad when helping people in your community in difficult situations. It is very different from having a very happy experience of informing a school that they are the beneficiaries of significant upgrades. That is the experience I have had twice in the last term of government, under the previous Labor government. I was twice able to inform the principal of Seaford Secondary College, Mr Harry Stassinopoulos—Mr Staz, as he is known—that Seaford Secondary College was to undergo significant upgrades because of the former Labor government.

The first occasion was when the STEM upgrades—the science, technology, engineering and maths upgrades—were proceeding, and Seaford Secondary was the beneficiary of $3½ million worth of funding to upgrade their facilities, their science labs, their technology suites. The second occasion was when we were able to provide $8 million under the former Labor government for a massive upgrade of the school, which is now leading to this upgrade of the performing arts centre and of other spaces in the school, importantly including the disability unit as well.

Seaford is a very important school in my electorate and a very important institution in the Seaford centre. It works in partnership with the community. It has shared facilities with the library and the council. It has shared facilities with the council, with its recreation centre. The new performing arts centre will be not just a benefit for Seaford Secondary College but a benefit for the broader Seaford community as well. Particularly, it will give these kids, these students in the Seaford area, the best possible facilities for their learning and for their start in life.

I know everybody at Seaford was particularly delighted back in 2017 when we were able to make this second commitment to upgrade funding. It is a bit disappointing that it has taken until this time to be able to proceed, but works are well underway at the moment. The structure for the new performing arts centre is well underway. If parliament did not approve this, it would be a bit awkward because the structure is already well underway. Works are definitely proceeding, despite holding on for the noting of this report in the parliament.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: It's a key stage in the process.

Mr PICTON: The technicalities are all being ticked off. However, we are excited—everybody in the Seaford community is excited—about these works that are underway. This is one of a number of upgrades across the south that are happening because of the investments made under the former Labor government.

Christies Beach High School—and we had some students from Christies Beach visiting us last night who were guests of both me and the member for Reynell—is undergoing similar massive upgrades as well. They have had upgrades for STEM, they have had upgrades for their disability unit and now they are getting upgrades to their teaching and learning spaces, which are transforming that school as well.

Similarly, Willunga High School and Wirreanda Secondary School—so high schools right across the south—are getting upgraded to give students in the south the best possible start, the best possible learning facilities they need because we need to invest in our future, which is the young people. I am really excited about getting these works finished hopefully in the next year and what that will mean for the young people in Seaford.

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:08): It always gives me great pleasure in this role to reflect on the utility, value and importance of public works investment in the school infrastructure. I say that in part as the child of schoolteachers but acknowledge also the member for Kaurna's comments and commitment to his school community.

I was very interested to hear news of the works underway, and the member is closely familiar with those works. I reflect that the report was published in July and, the business of the Public Works Committee being as it is, we are now many months later having the opportunity to reflect on those works in the house, assisted by the member for Kaurna.

I also take this opportunity to thank the school principal, as the member for Kaurna has, and members of the school council for their diligence and their commitment to seeing this project through, and I acknowledge the expenditure that has been outlaid to see it through. These are valuable and important works, and I am very pleased that in the term of this government that funding has been confirmed and that the project will be seen through to completion.

Motion carried.