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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-04-11 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: Tonsley Technical College

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:38): I move:

That the 58th report of the committee, entitled Tonsley Technical College, be noted.

The Department for Education proposes to construct a new technical college within the Tonsley Innovation Precinct. The college forms part of this government's commitment to establish five technical colleges by 2026 and aims to provide a pipeline of skilled workers for entry-level jobs in key industries with the greatest demand. They are designed to modernise senior secondary school and deliver a practical-based learning program that includes technical, literacy and numeracy skills in line with industry need.

Each college will be tailored to the needs of its local industry, region and community to ensure meaningful pathways from education to work. Catering for students from years 10 to 12 in conjunction with nearby high schools, they will allow students to complete their SACE while obtaining trade qualifications.

The Tonsley Technical College will be co-located with the Flinders University Factory of the Future within the university's Tonsley Innovation Precinct and will offer four industry focus areas, including advanced manufacturing, building and construction with a renewable focus, health and social support, and automotive and energy.

Both entities will use this location, sharing common areas, with each party having an exclusive use area in the building. The project is intended to be a unique development that combines learning, education, research and industry engagement in the one space. Built within an already thriving precinct, the project aims to create a learning village or ecosystem while unlocking new possibilities in industry and tertiary education.

The college will offer learning programs in its four industry-focused areas, in conjunction with the Australian Science and Mathematics School, and will provide a pathway to employment for students to complete a VET qualification and develop workplace skills as well as completing their SACE. Through co-location and demonstration, it allows passive immersion in industry as well as digital and industry literacy for future pathways in both tertiary and industry education.

The key aims of the project are to provide a contemporary environmentally sustainable technical college which incorporates new technology to support vocational training and achieving SACE in a state-of-the-art facility; create an adaptable innovative learning environment that is responsive to future opportunities; provide a connected and multidisciplinary learning environment which engages with all learners and underpins better education outcomes for students; and, lastly, develop creative and flexible learning spaces that are specifically designed for workplace and industry environments.

The proposed development will allude to Tonsley's bygone eras as both a farming region and a centre for car manufacturing in South Australia. Tonsley's past will be honoured through a construction approach that showcases the principles of manufacturing through the assembly of parts to make a greater whole. The architecture's incorporation of existing materials, such as weathered rusted steel structures, corrugated steel sheets and opaque brittle glazed window designs into the contemporary structure both highlights the legacy of materiality at Tonsley and looks forward to the future with the concept of Industry 4.0.

The project aims to be a Green Star, gold and carbon neutral up-front emissions certified building, which will benefit the health and wellbeing of its occupants and the precinct. Construction is proposed to be delivered in a single stage, including earthworks, building and associated works. Site preparations have commenced, with completion expected in January 2025. It is intended that the Tonsley Technical College will be operational from February 2025. Once open, the technical college will cater for 200 full-time enrolments at any one time, and the department anticipates 120 students will enrol in 2025 and 180 students in 2026.

The department confirms that an independent project manager will be assigned with responsibility for delivery of the project on behalf of both the department and Flinders University. They will follow best practice principles for project procurement and management, as advocated by the state government and construction industry authorities. Project management will be established through a project management plan to ensure that the facility complies with requirements and meets stakeholder objectives and that works are performed in a coordinated and consistent manner.

A risk assessment has been carried out and determined there is a medium range of risk. The department states that the independent managing team is providing full project risk management services throughout its design, cost, procurement and construction stages. Environmentally sustainable design principles have been adopted for this joint endeavour between the Department for Education and Flinders University, viewing the success of the project as a facility aligned with future industry aspirations. The project aspires to be carbon positive, with circular economy a priority that also avoids the use of fossil fuels, incorporates passive design principles and promotes health and wellbeing.

A search of the SA Heritage Places Database through the Department for Environment and Water confirms there are no state or local heritage places or contributory heritage items on site. There are no entries for Aboriginal sites within the area, as determined by the Central Archive, which includes the Register of Aboriginal Sites and Objects. The commonwealth Native Title Act confirms that native title has been extinguished on this site.

As the Tonsley Technical College will operate in conjunction with the Australian Science and Mathematics School, the department affirms that the school's principal as well as school staff and the education director have been kept informed of the development and associated scope of the works. The department confirms that care has been taken to consult and inform on progress to ensure the needs of all stakeholders have been considered.

The committee has examined written and oral evidence in relation to the Tonsley Technical College project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Helen Doyle, Director, Capital Projects and Technical Services, Department for Education; Rebecca Lawson-Cooke, Director, Project Management, Turner & Townsend; and Dino Vrynios, Managing Director, Das Studio. I thank the witnesses for their time.

Based upon the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

Motion carried.

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