Building Better Schools Program

The Hon. T.T. NGO (17:11): I have a question for the new Treasurer. Will the Treasurer rule out withdrawing or reallocating any of the $690 million worth of funding allocated to 91 state public schools as part of the Building Better Schools program by the previous government?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (17:11): If I have interpreted the honourable member's question correctly, it is the former government's commitment to $692 million in capital expenditure on a number of schools. The Liberal Party, in the period leading up to the election, made a commitment that we would continue with that particular program. We have reiterated that commitment subsequently. The only caveat we have put on it is that we believe that the money we are talking about—the $692 million—should in part be used to prepare secondary schools for the movement of year 7s into those particular secondary schools. So, if we have $692 million to spend on capital works and if there is money to be spent on a high school, it would seem to make sense to actually provision for the increased numbers of year 7 students going into that particular high school. We indicated that prior to the election and we have reiterated that particular position since the election.