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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-05-07 Daily Xml
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SCHOOLS, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Education and Children's Services. What action is the Rann government taking to make our schools more environmentally sustainable?

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education and Children's Services, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:29): I thank the member for Morialta for that tough question. She is right to ask about the environment because, like every element of our government, we are focusing on sustainability in our schools as well as in our other departments. The Premier has made announcements about the wine industry and we are absolutely committed to improving our environmental footprint and making the whole government sustainable.

We are very proud that we have worked as part of an Australian sustainable schools initiative, a joint venture between the states and the commonwealth, to integrate education for sustainability into our whole school management processes. We are also well on the way to installing 250 solar systems within our schools and we aim that, by 2014, we will have that number. Already in this financial year, we will have reached 112 schools. As with all government agencies, we expect this to be part of our sustainable future.

Schools and preschools are required to reduce energy and water use by 25 and 10 per cent respectively, based on consumption in the 2000 and 2001 years. Rather than simply setting targets and walking away and leaving the problem to be solved locally, the Rann government is committed to assisting public schools to adapt to the future.

I am delighted to inform the house that further assistance will be provided by the latest round of 'green schools' grants. This is a $1 million initiative that will provide up to 100 schools and preschools with funding to reduce water and energy usage. Projects under this exciting initiative include: an energy audit and refitting program; automation of irrigation systems to allow school grounds to be watered at night; and connect the more northern schools in the northern suburbs to our northern Adelaide aquifer recovery and storage system. On top of this, DECS will continue to provide schools and preschools with advice on energy and water management strategies.

Schools certainly play an integral part in the Rann government's strategy for sustainability and this $1 million initiative will continue that program. On top of the water and electricity saved, the schools use these programs in their education systems as part of their curriculum to encourage young people to understand the importance of sustainability, and they take those programs and ideas home where they often teach their parents about these initiatives as well.

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