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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-09-29 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: PORT AUGUSTA AREA SCHOOL REDEVELOPMENT—STIRLING CAMPUS

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (11:56): I move:

That the 381st report of the committee, on the Port Augusta Area School Redevelopment—Stirling Campus, be noted.

It gives me great pleasure to rise on behalf of the Public Works Committee to support this motion. The redevelopment of the Port Augusta Secondary School Stirling Campus has an estimated cost of $5.761 million, excluding GST. Redevelopment of the site, including the proposed trade training centre and the Building the Education Revolution language centre will accommodate an enrolment of 600 secondary students, which is the long-term predicted enrolment figure for the school.

The project will refurbish existing solid accommodation in building 3A to provide middle school general learning areas and serviced learning areas. It will also upgrade the theory room in home economics as a multipurpose kitchen/theory/fabrics area, consolidate administration facilities and incorporate the Aboriginal education centre, student services and special education into one building.

The whole school will be relocated to the Seaview Campus during the course of the construction period and the Stirling Campus will become a construction site. There will be no need to provide additional temporary classroom accommodation during the works as there is sufficient accommodation available at the Seaview Campus. With these plans in place, it is not anticipated there will be any impact on the school's teaching delivery during the project works.

The project aims to provide modern, efficient and functional areas for the delivery of education to the community of Port Augusta. The key drivers for the redevelopment are to:

consolidate Port Augusta Secondary School Stirling Campus and Seaview Campus and operate on one site;

improve the accommodation for the school and avoid continuing maintenance of existing buildings;

improve general learning areas and serviced learning areas for the middle school students to support the school's curriculum delivery and the focus on students' increased engagement for better attendance, participation and achievement;

improve the home economics area to provide flexible space to accommodate combined sewing, kitchen and general learning, which I think all students should learn;

improve the Aboriginal education facilities to demonstrate a clear message to the community in relation to the curriculum, care and support the school provides for Aboriginal students;

improve the special education facilities to support curriculum delivery to the students in a flexible space to allow group work with computer stations and wet areas;

improve the administration facility to support the co-location and operate as one site with suitable reception, student services, offices, meeting rooms, staff room, staff preparation area and storage;

provide sufficient student amenities by recommissioning existing amenities; and

provide additional car parks on the Stirling Campus for staff entitlement to support the consolidation of both sites.

I am advised that there will be no change in the recurrent cost of the school's operation as a result of this redevelopment.

Three options were considered. The 'do nothing' option was discounted primarily due to the aim of being able to consolidate the two sites into one. Delaying the redevelopment of the Port Augusta Secondary School would significantly increase future capital costs associated with the redevelopment of core services.

It is expected that the postponement of the redevelopment of the Port Augusta secondary school project will result in significant additional cost due to anticipated price escalation and associated fee and cost increases including ongoing maintenance. The construction of a completely new school would be the most costly alternative. This was discounted as a number of existing buildings are reasonably new and/or of solid construction, in good condition and able to be redeveloped in a more cost efficient manner. I seek leave to conclude my remarks.

Leave granted; debated adjourned.

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