❓ Mr. Staltari questions the delay in the government adopting the opposition's proposal for securing Public Education Endowment Trust funds. The Minister responds by highlighting the government's significant investment in education infrastructure and the allocation of $40 million from the Trust for school upgrades.
AnsweredQoN 249Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Education Endowment Trust Fund—Public schools
249. Mr Liam Staltari to
the Minister for Education:
I refer to the
government finally adopting the opposition's call for the Public Education
Endowment Trust funds to be guaranteed for WA public schools. Given the
opposition pushed for these funds to be secured a full year ago, why did it
take the government so long to backflip on its bill, and what changed?
249. Mr Liam Staltari to
the Minister for Education:
I refer to the
government finally adopting the opposition's call for the Public Education
Endowment Trust funds to be guaranteed for WA public schools. Given the
opposition pushed for these funds to be secured a full year ago, why did it
take the government so long to backflip on its bill, and what changed?
AnswerView source ↗
I really welcome the
opportunity on state budget day—I think I am going to get two Dorothy Dixers—to
get to my feet to talk about the investment that this Labor government is
making in education in this state.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: This government invests in public
education. We have done so since we have been in government. We have over $6.4 billion
of infrastructure right throughout this great state of ours to make sure that
students and teachers have great learning environments to do the important
things they do. I am not going to steal the Treasurer's thunder, in the sense
that we have already made our important announcements around education for this
state budget, but there will be some $2.1 billion of investment over the
next four years and $754 million just in the next 12 months. What
that looks like is new schools, infrastructure upgrades and important
continuing investment in maintenance. We have seen over $1 billion of
investment in important maintenance work right around the state. What that
investment looks like is new schools right around our state, because we know we
have a growing population. Since 2017, we have opened 30 primary schools and
eight secondary schools. Members, the investment in
today's budget will also see us, from now until 2030, open an additional 11 primary
schools and two secondary schools.
Importantly though,
we also need to continue to invest in existing infrastructure to support the
growing pains in some of our schools, making sure we continue to support those
growing communities. There is some $96 million in much-needed upgrades in
schools right around the state. Of course, an important part of the
announcement on education investment in this year's budget is over
$400 million of additional money to make sure that we have an important
pipeline of investment in the minor works and maintenance works required in our
schools.
The member mentioned
the public education endowment legislation and, importantly, the $40 million
that is also provided for in this year's state budget—$40 million
specifically—to make use of the education funding that was in the Public
Education Endowment Trust, which has been dormant for so many years. I am very
proud that we are using that money in targeted ways that we know will support
schools. They include things like making sure we support investment in security
alarm upgrades, accessibility upgrades, roof space remediations, fire door
replacements and power upgrades. This Cook Labor government is making a record investment
in key infrastructure maintenance and new school builds right around the state,
and I am very proud of that.
opportunity on state budget day—I think I am going to get two Dorothy Dixers—to
get to my feet to talk about the investment that this Labor government is
making in education in this state.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: This government invests in public
education. We have done so since we have been in government. We have over $6.4 billion
of infrastructure right throughout this great state of ours to make sure that
students and teachers have great learning environments to do the important
things they do. I am not going to steal the Treasurer's thunder, in the sense
that we have already made our important announcements around education for this
state budget, but there will be some $2.1 billion of investment over the
next four years and $754 million just in the next 12 months. What
that looks like is new schools, infrastructure upgrades and important
continuing investment in maintenance. We have seen over $1 billion of
investment in important maintenance work right around the state. What that
investment looks like is new schools right around our state, because we know we
have a growing population. Since 2017, we have opened 30 primary schools and
eight secondary schools. Members, the investment in
today's budget will also see us, from now until 2030, open an additional 11 primary
schools and two secondary schools.
Importantly though,
we also need to continue to invest in existing infrastructure to support the
growing pains in some of our schools, making sure we continue to support those
growing communities. There is some $96 million in much-needed upgrades in
schools right around the state. Of course, an important part of the
announcement on education investment in this year's budget is over
$400 million of additional money to make sure that we have an important
pipeline of investment in the minor works and maintenance works required in our
schools.
The member mentioned
the public education endowment legislation and, importantly, the $40 million
that is also provided for in this year's state budget—$40 million
specifically—to make use of the education funding that was in the Public
Education Endowment Trust, which has been dormant for so many years. I am very
proud that we are using that money in targeted ways that we know will support
schools. They include things like making sure we support investment in security
alarm upgrades, accessibility upgrades, roof space remediations, fire door
replacements and power upgrades. This Cook Labor government is making a record investment
in key infrastructure maintenance and new school builds right around the state,
and I am very proud of that.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.