❓ Ms. Hanns asks about the Cook Labor government's investment in school infrastructure. Minister Winton responds by highlighting the government's commitment to education, infrastructure spending, and criticizes the previous Liberal government's record.
AnsweredQoN 251Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Schools—Infrastructure investment
251. Ms Jodie Hanns to
the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to delivering quality infrastructure and services
across Western Australia. Can the minister please outline to the house how the
Cook Labor government is investing in school infrastructure to deliver high
quality education?
251. Ms Jodie Hanns to
the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to delivering quality infrastructure and services
across Western Australia. Can the minister please outline to the house how the
Cook Labor government is investing in school infrastructure to deliver high
quality education?
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, Mr
Speaker. I—
Several members
interjected.
Ms Sabine Winton: I know this side of the house would
love to listen to education all day long because, of course, like me, the
member for Collie–Preston is also a former teacher and education is in our
blood. Of course, we also have the member for Bibra Lake; I do not want to
leave anyone out. Who else are the chalkies? There are teachers galore on this
side of politics, and I am sure they are very happy on budget day to take an
extended period of time to talk about what this Labor government does in terms
of investing in public education.
We have built an
education system over the last nine years that ensures that Western Australians
have access to high quality schools right across this state. We have built an
education system that is supporting the next generation of workers to build
more houses, more hospitals and job creation projects right across WA, because
when we invest in our children, when we invest in our students, we also know that
we are investing in housing and we are investing in the jobs of the future. They
are the next generation, who are going to drive the economic diversification of
this great state. We are investing in new schools and upgrading our existing
ones; there is some $2.1 billion over the next four years.
In Collie–Preston,
member, this includes delivering on our election commitments: new STEM
facilities at Donnybrook District High School and air conditioning upgrades at
Dardanup Primary School. Yesterday we heard the shadow Treasurer go on about
the Liberal Party's education record when it was last in government. The
problem with that is that we have too many teachers
on this side who were chalkies when members opposite were in government, so
they have to let that comparison go.
Several members
interjected.
Ms Sabine Winton: You have to let that comparison go. You
cannot romanticise the previous Liberal government's record in education when there
are people on this side who lived it, knew it, and knew what it looked like. It
looked like 500% fee hikes to TAFE, so all those young people had no chance in
terms of contributing positively to our economy. Of course, we all remember the
ruthless cuts to education assistance that happened under your watch, or your
plan—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: —to privatise Western Power to fund
schools. As a former teacher—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party! Thank you.
Ms Sabine Winton: As a former teacher, I always felt
the real-world consequences of what education looked like under a coalition
government in my classrooms, and so did my students, and so did the parents, and
we have long memories. I am proud to be the Minister for Education in a Labor
government; I am incredibly proud to be the Minister for Education in the Cook
Labor government.
The Speaker: The member for Roe with the last
question.
Speaker. I—
Several members
interjected.
Ms Sabine Winton: I know this side of the house would
love to listen to education all day long because, of course, like me, the
member for Collie–Preston is also a former teacher and education is in our
blood. Of course, we also have the member for Bibra Lake; I do not want to
leave anyone out. Who else are the chalkies? There are teachers galore on this
side of politics, and I am sure they are very happy on budget day to take an
extended period of time to talk about what this Labor government does in terms
of investing in public education.
We have built an
education system over the last nine years that ensures that Western Australians
have access to high quality schools right across this state. We have built an
education system that is supporting the next generation of workers to build
more houses, more hospitals and job creation projects right across WA, because
when we invest in our children, when we invest in our students, we also know that
we are investing in housing and we are investing in the jobs of the future. They
are the next generation, who are going to drive the economic diversification of
this great state. We are investing in new schools and upgrading our existing
ones; there is some $2.1 billion over the next four years.
In Collie–Preston,
member, this includes delivering on our election commitments: new STEM
facilities at Donnybrook District High School and air conditioning upgrades at
Dardanup Primary School. Yesterday we heard the shadow Treasurer go on about
the Liberal Party's education record when it was last in government. The
problem with that is that we have too many teachers
on this side who were chalkies when members opposite were in government, so
they have to let that comparison go.
Several members
interjected.
Ms Sabine Winton: You have to let that comparison go. You
cannot romanticise the previous Liberal government's record in education when there
are people on this side who lived it, knew it, and knew what it looked like. It
looked like 500% fee hikes to TAFE, so all those young people had no chance in
terms of contributing positively to our economy. Of course, we all remember the
ruthless cuts to education assistance that happened under your watch, or your
plan—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Sabine Winton: —to privatise Western Power to fund
schools. As a former teacher—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party! Thank you.
Ms Sabine Winton: As a former teacher, I always felt
the real-world consequences of what education looked like under a coalition
government in my classrooms, and so did my students, and so did the parents, and
we have long memories. I am proud to be the Minister for Education in a Labor
government; I am incredibly proud to be the Minister for Education in the Cook
Labor government.
The Speaker: The member for Roe with the last
question.
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