Blackwood Community Recreation Centre

Mr DULUK (Waite) (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Education. Minister, what actions is the Department for Education taking to support the continuation of the Blackwood rec centre with their ongoing battle with the City of Mitcham? Sir, with your leave, and that of the house, I will further explain.

Leave granted.

Mr DULUK: Minister, I wrote to you on 15 June and 2 September this year outlining the difficulties between the board of the rec centre and the City of Mitcham with their ongoing leasing arrangement. I want to thank you for working with myself and the community on this important issue, but can you please outline to the house what you are doing to support these negotiations and when the community can expect the new subleasing arrangements to be finalised?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:08): I thank the member for the question, and I note that he has asked about this issue in the house on a prior occasion. I note the colour with which he has put the question. I am not sure I sign up to the words 'battle' or 'difficulties', but certainly there is an unresolved issue between the council and the Department for Education and the recreation centre's community group that runs it.

I have had some correspondence since this matter was last raised in the house from council, putting forward their point of view, and I was pleased that that correspondence came into the Department for Education. I think it might potentially assist with the chamber and the community to share my response, which I understand is now being discussed between council and the department, and I feel there is an atmosphere of positivity to come to a resolution. At any rate, the position that I put on behalf of the department and on behalf of the government was to the mayor. I wrote to her to say:

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the lease arrangements for the Blackwood Community Recreation Centre.

As you have highlighted, the Centre is a well patronised and valued facility within the local community and while it serves a dual purpose to provide recreation facilities to Blackwood High School, the predominant use of the facility is as a community recreation centre.

The provision of community recreation facilities is the core business of local government and this is reflected in the City of Mitcham's role as the head lessee. While I am supportive of the Blackwood Community Recreation Association continuing to operate the centre, I am of the view that council should remain party to the lease arrangements.

I note that council staff met with officers from the Department for Education earlier in the year and discussed the potential for responsibility for structural maintenance of the Centre to be shared between the council and the Department, with the Department's contribution reflective of the level of use by the school.

I then invited council officers to contact a person in the department to progress those discussions. My understanding is that there is a meeting that will be taking place either today or at some stage this week between officers of council and officers of my department. Obviously, the Blackwood High School does make use of the building, which is indeed part of our facilities and Department for Education owned. Its main purpose is to provide community recreation facilities, which is ultimately a council responsibility first.

Consequently, I am optimistic that, understanding those two principles, a sensible solution can be found to ensure that the community in the Blackwood area and beyond who use that facility are able to have a positive outcome, where all parties can be satisfied that it is also a fair outcome. I am optimistic that we will reach that goal. I thank the member for raising the question and I thank councillors and council for engaging positively with us in this discussion, and I look forward to hopefully a positive outcome in the not too distant future.