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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-27 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: Para Hills High School Redevelopment

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:29): I move:

That the 113th report of the committee for the Fifty-Fourth Parliament, entitled Para Hills High School Redevelopment Project, be noted.

Mr Speaker, as you are aware, Para Hills High Schools is located on Beafield Road in Para Hills West within the City of Salisbury. The Department for Education has advised that the Para Hills High School has been working closely with the adjacent Para Hills West Primary School to strengthen the continuity of learning to ensure the successful transition of primary students through its special education unit and other enriched education programs to support students with a complex range of special needs and that the school further provides flexible learning options to support young people in academic achievement and gaining vocational qualifications.

Para Hills High School was allocated funding of $5 million as part of the Department for Education's capital works program announced in October 2017. This funding allocation was confirmed on the change of government in March 2018. Para Hills High School requires capital works to provide sufficient capacity to accommodate approximately 900 students on the school site to cater for the transition of year 7 students into high school in 2022. There is also aged infrastructure on the school site that will be replaced with more contemporary learning areas.

Specifically, the proposed scope of works for the project includes construction of a new performing arts centre, providing flexible areas to enable general and specialist teaching and learning, teacher preparation, storage and amenities; refurbishment of the gymnasium, including removal of the mezzanine, existing stage area and store to create a full-sized competition court with the provision of weights and breakout spaces; and demolition of aged transportable buildings. When complete, the project will deliver additional accommodation on the school site to support the transition of year 7 students into high school.

The project will be staged, with construction expected to commence in October 2020 and to be completed by October 2021. We understand that those works are progressing. The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to this project and received assurances that the appropriate consultation had been undertaken. The committee is satisfied that the proposal has been subject to the appropriate agency consultation and meets the criteria for examination of projects described in the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991.

Based on the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to the parliament that it does recommend the proposed scope of the works that I have outlined.

Mr BROWN (Playford) (11:32): One of the things that I did upon becoming a candidate for Playford was to go around to meet the various principals of schools in the electorate. I had the fortune to meet Ms Janette Scott, who was then the principal of Para Hills High School. She struck me with her passion for making sure that there was a proper performing arts space at Para Hills High School. She related to me the experience that the school had with the Building the Education Revolution funds that were available from the federal government at one time. She recounted to me how their proposal for a performing arts space at Para Hills High School went down to, from memory, the final three or final five sites in the entire country for a federally funded performing arts base.

Under the program the federal government had at the time, I think there were to be something like two or three nationally funded performing arts spaces. Unfortunately, Para Hills High School just missed out and did not get any money from the commonwealth government for a performing arts space, which caused disappointment for her and also for the school and its community. I was struck by the passion that she had for trying to make sure that Para Hills High School was the site and centre of performing arts in the northern suburbs, so I relayed those concerns and the passion she had to my colleagues. She also must have told everyone who would listen about the importance of this.

Later on, after the school successfully received funding from the then Labor government to do just that, I was able to meet with her again and discuss the proposed project. I must say that again I was struck by the pure joy she was experiencing because the school had managed to secure these funds. It is not often in this job that you get the opportunity to do something so good and to speak to people who are going to do so much for their local community, as it was with that particular conversation with the then principal.

Janette has now retired and she has been replaced by Alina Page, who is the current principal. I know Alina has an absolute commitment to making sure that Para Hills is a shining example and a real focus for achievements in STEAM disciplines in the north-eastern suburbs. I congratulate her on the work she has done on this particular project.

I would also like to congratulate the school governing council, and I would be remiss not to point out the good work that has already been done by Hardy Milazzo Architecture and Interior Design and also Mykra Pty Ltd, who were the builders. I also thank the Liberal government for not cancelling this particular project upon the change of government. I know that these things can be done very easily, so I thank them for not doing that, and I think the community of Para Hills also thanks you.

Earlier this term, I attended the opening of the STEM centre that was funded by the previous Labor government at Para Hills High School. I went along to watch the Hon. John Dawkins open the STEM centre and was able to talk to students and teachers about what their hopes and aspirations were for the STEM centre that had been opened. You could just tell the commitment people had to using those facilities that were provided and doing their best to advance not only their local community but also themselves as individuals.

I know that this new performing arts centre, as well as the more general upgrades as part of this project—the new full-sized basketball court, for example—will help to improve the lives of all of us in the Para Hills community. I look forward to working with the school in the future, to making Para Hills High School an even better place for students to go and an even better place not only to train our workforce for the future but also to produce good people and good citizens in the Para Hills area.

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (11:37): I, too, had the opportunity to visit Para Hills High School recently; since the boundary change, it is in what I like to call New New Florey. I was very impressed with the new principal there, Alina Page, who has been mentioned here this morning. My only fear for her is that she will burn herself out because she has so many ideas and so many things she wants to do and she wants to do them so very quickly. I think that is terribly important because the students in our areas really need that passion and that drive in their school.

Again, as the member for Playford just said, it is terrific that the current Liberal government did go ahead with the funding that was promised for the school. Interestingly enough, the actual building at Para Hills High is exactly the same as the building at Valley View Secondary School—exactly the same building. The sadness, of course, is that their works have not yet started, but they will be starting soon I hope.

Words have been said about the performing arts centre, and I am pretty sure you have had a chance to go and visit, but the amazing work they have produced in that tiny, weenie transportable is really beyond comprehension. The drive of those teachers is just terrific, and it really is a great learning environment for the students of our area. The other thing I was really pleased to be able to attend was the luncheon put on by the students at the special school in their little outdoor area. We were blessed with nice weather, although it was terribly windy.

Every investment you make in a school like Para Hills High is going to make an incredible difference to the lives of the whole community, as the member for Playford just said. It is an area that needs this passion and drive and, with new buildings and facilities, the new learning areas, I think the students there will be able to go on and do great things. That is something everyone here should be proud of.

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:39): I acknowledge the contribution from the member for Playford and the member for Florey. I know their great passion and commitment not only for their communities in general but also specifically for education in the North. I know that they speak with real knowledge and insight into the needs of their communities and that they have been very effective advocates for ensuring there has been an appropriate investment in public education in the North. This is an important and valuable project and I am proud that it is being seen through to completion.

Motion carried.

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