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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
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School Internet Service

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (14:15): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister provide the house with an update on the government's improved internet rollout for schools, including in my electorate of Newland.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:15): I am very pleased to be able to do so. It's very important, of course, that we do improve internet connectivity in our schools because members would recall that when the Marshall Liberal government was elected, only 25 per cent of schools in our government system in South Australia had access to fibre-optic cable connections. That is, of course, the expectation. Ninety per cent plus of schools interstate have access to this sort of internet connection.

I think that that low level of service for our schools was why the Liberal Party, and indeed the Labor Party, made election commitments to do this work. The great news is that, far from it just being an election commitment that was promised during an election, it is now being delivered across South Australia, including in the member for Newland's electorate, by the Marshall Liberal government. Members would recall that on 11 December—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —the Premier and I, along with the member for Morphett, at Glenelg Primary School announced that the department would be partnering with Telstra to supply high-speed connectivity to all South Australian schools. This is an $80 million investment. We went out last year to look for the best possible partnership for our schools across South Australia and we got a great deal. We are working hard with Telstra to deliver it.

Already, I can report that 90 of our schools are connected. More than 47,000 students across South Australia have access to this high-speed internet and so do more than 5,000 of our educators in those schools. But wait, there is more. Just this week, not only is the Modbury High School, which is in the electorate of Newland, already connected but the Ardtornish Primary School—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —was connected on 5 April. Last week, the St Agnes Primary School, in the member's electorate, was connected. This week, just today as we speak, the Modbury Special School, close to the member for Newland's heart, as indeed it is to the member for Florey's heart, when it used to be in her electorate—

Ms Bedford: Where it is still.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: And it is still; I am sure it still is. But the member for Newland, I know, will be very pleased especially to know that today, as we speak, they are being connected to the internet. It is going to be an exceptional service for them, as it will be tomorrow for Modbury South Primary School when it is also connected—another one that I am sure is close to the member for Florey's heart, too. Also this week, I am pleased, as the local—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —member, to see the Highbury Primary School connected, and I know that many of the member for Newland's constituents go there. I am pleased to report that next week, the Banksia Park R-7 school will be connected.

Members around the house can know that schools in their electorates are receiving this support. Just next week, in the coming days, the members for Reynell, Florey, Unley, Hurtle Vale and MacKillop will be pleased to see that the O'Sullivan Beach Primary School, Modbury School preschool to Year 7, Parkside Primary School, Woodcroft Primary School, Bordertown Primary School and Bordertown High School will all be connected, and Old Noarlunga Primary School in the member for Kaurna's electorate and Woodville Gardens School B-7 in the Leader of the Opposition's electorate were connected yesterday.

This is an exceptionally important program for our schools. It enables our students to have access to the best possible resources in this critical technological area. If we are going to have the internet used in our pedagogy, in our classrooms, it has to be reliable; it has to be the sort that can be turned on and turned off at a tap and not be slow if another classroom starts using devices at a time when your classroom is doing that. It has to be something that is reliable for our students.

It's going to be critical in developing STEM technologies. It's going to be critical in ensuring that our students are prepared for the enormous opportunities there are in cybersecurity in the years ahead—there are enormous job opportunities there. It is critically important in a range of VET and other career options, too. The opportunities are endless, but this is a government investing in education to ensure that all of our students in all of our schools, in every town, region and city in this state are supported to fulfil their potential.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the deputy leader to order. I also call the member for Florey to order. Members, please be advised that there is a cameraman in the gallery today that I have allowed. The deputy leader has the call.

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