Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong—Parliamentary Secretary) [12.16 p.m.]: I move:

That this House:

(1) welcomes the substantial funding being provided to schools in New South Wales as part of the Federal Government's "Building the Education Revolution Program";

(2) notes that the Federal Opposition parties opposed the "Building the Education Revolution Program";

(3) notes that the "Building the Education Revolution Program":

(a) is comprised of three programs: Primary Schools for the 21 Century, National School Pride and Science and Language Centres for 21 Century Secondary Schools;

(b) builds on existing State Government programs including the $2 billion "Building Better Schools" initiative and the $150 million "Principal's Priority Building Program";

(4) congratulates the State Government on its use of infrastructure funds to support jobs in the New South Wales economy and investment in our future through our schools.

It is now one year since the announcement of the landmark Building the Education Revolution program, part of the nation's largest-ever infrastructure and economic stimulus plan. It is also nine months since the first sod was turned at Minto Public School, the first school to commence its Building the Education Revolution works. The most substantial component of the Building the Education Revolution package is the provision of new facilities such as gymnasiums, halls, libraries and extra classrooms. More than 70 per cent of projects have already commenced under this component and works at 142 schools have been completed already. Construction has also begun on all 118 facilities being built under the $151 million Science and Language Centres program.

The achievement of which we can be most proud is our progress under the $287 million National School Pride component of the Building the Education Revolution stimulus package, which funds minor capital works and refurbishment of existing school assets. Not only have all projects commenced—nearly 2,200 in total—but only 22 remain to be finished. It is expected that all of these will be completed by the end of this month. This is an incredible achievement—a 97 per cent completion rate within 10 months of commencement and an expected 100 per cent completion just over a year after the work began. We have almost twice the national average for on-site starts for science and language centres and we are significantly above average on completions for the National School Pride program.

The Building the Education Revolution program has come a long way since I first gave notice of this motion. New South Wales has set a pace for the implementation that is the envy of every other State. But today I will talk about projects being undertaken in schools in the Wyong electorate. The following schools in Wyong have commenced construction work on their P21 projects. For example, Tacoma Public School, which is receiving a new hall and covered outdoor learning area for $2 million, is 90 per cent complete. Woongarrah Public School, which is receiving a hall and covered outdoor learning area update for $650,000, is 80 per cent complete. Wyong Grove Public School, which is receiving a new hall and covered outdoor learning area for $2 million, is 70 per cent complete. Woongarrah Public School is also receiving a new special programs room for $651,000, and that is 70 per cent complete.

Tuggerawong Public School is receiving a new hall and covered outdoor learning area for $2 million and is 40 per cent complete. Chittaway Bay Public School is receiving new classroom facilities for $2.5 million and is 30 per cent complete. Toukley Public School is receiving new classroom facilities for $3 million and is 20 per cent complete. Blue Haven Public School is receiving a new covered outdoor learning area for $300,000 and new classroom facilities for $2.7 million and is 10 per cent complete. Gorokan Public School is receiving a classroom for more than $3 million and is 10 per cent complete.

HopeTown School, which is a special school that does a fantastic job, is receiving a library for $870,000 and is 10 per cent complete. Kanwal Public School is receiving a classroom up to the value of $2.5 million and that work has started. Northlakes Public School is receiving new classroom facilities for $3 million and that work has started as well. In addition, Gorokan High School will have a new language centre for $821,000 and school facilities for $200,000, a total of more than $1 million. The school community is over the moon about the refurbishments, particularly as they are on top of the new gymnasium that was opened at the end of last year. The science rooms are being upgraded on top of the Building the Education Revolution, which is fantastic. Northlakes High School is undergoing refurbishment of its school facilities and will have a new language centre, a total of $1 million.

Wadalba Community School, which is a K-12 school, will have new classroom facilities worth more than $1 million and a school facility upgrade of $200,000 while Wyong High School will undergo $200,000 worth of work. All these projects are creating work and jobs for local business. Some companies based in my electorate that have found work through the education stimulus package include Active Tree Services, ADW, Amarcon Group Pty Ltd, Argonauts Tree Service, Coates Hire, Complete Excavations, D and T Constructions, Dasilva Formwork, JR Drafting Services, McPhan Cranes, Pluim Interiors, Pryor Earthmoving, Red Eye, Tile Direct and Tricoast Plumbing. I have spoken to the contractors, who have clearly told me that this work has tied them over during the financial crisis. Indeed, they have had so much work that they have had trouble keeping up with it. It has meant also that many of the businesses have been able to put on new workers or new apprentices, which has helped the incomes of local families.

These are all positive results and a huge boost to school communities and local businesses. Let us not forget the outrageous actions of the Opposition in the upper House in using the entirely political Standing Order 52 to call for documents. This was a wild goose chase yet the Opposition went to extraordinary lengths to try to discredit the program. The call for papers resulted in 336 boxes of documentation—an estimated two tonnes of paper—being transported by truck to the Legislative Council, displacing a staff member from the office. It was a disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money that could have been spent in members' electorates, and it proved absolutely nothing.

The reality is that the overwhelming majority of schools are thrilled with their projects under Building the Education Revolution. As I stated in an earlier debate, many communities have a particular project in mind, but the first thing to consider is the needs of the children. Schools that for a long time have had demountables need classrooms. That is the first priority because that is the learning space of children; it is where they work, day in day out. Classrooms are the most important spaces in schools and should be considered first and then covered outdoor learning areas and halls. Children should be provided with the best educational space for their learning.

We know that in some cases construction can result in some disruptions to school life, but the evidence is that school communities are handling these disruptions sensibly, with an understanding that a small inconvenience now will be well and truly worth it in the long run. This has always been the case. I remember in the past that when a school was painted, the school went into disarray, but everyone was pleased with the end result. In the past year we have overseen one of the largest, most complex and most expensive capital works projects in the history of the State, and we have done it well.

The Opposition suggests that the projects have been rushed. If the Opposition had had its way in the Federal Parliament and blocked the program, schools would not have had these improvements at all. The Federal Opposition said this was useless spending. The program had two important purposes. One was to immediately stimulate the economy; get money out into the economy, and it has achieved that purpose. The second is that the classrooms, halls and covered outdoor learning areas will be in our schools for many years and communities, not just the children who attend the schools now, will be saying thank you. They will not be saying the projects were rushed because they know the facilities were necessary. Any Opposition member who nitpicks or tries to find fault should look at the big picture. It is about improving learning spaces for kids. It is about improving educational outcomes and that should always be the bottom line.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [12.26 p.m.]: Not one member of Parliament would not appreciate what is happening in all of our schools. However, the Building the Education Revolution [BER] program, as Parliamentary Secretary Harris has tried to explain in great detail, was to assist schools, and regional communities go to extraordinary lengths to encourage their people to shop locally and to support their local economy. Therefore, I place on record what a renowned builder in my area has had to face under the BER program. He wrote to his Federal member and sent a copy to me. He stated:

Re: Federal Government B.E.R. Scheme

We wish to express our serious concern with the method of implementation of this scheme in the North Coast Region.

By way of background our company has been involved in the local building industry for 55 years, specialising in commercial work such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes etc.

During this time we have trained well over 100 apprentices, many of whom have gone on to form their own business.
It is our understanding that the B.E.R. scheme was designed to stimulate the economy and support local building contractors.
Our areas of concern are as follows:

1. Project NC-CAS-5166, Casino West Public School: We received a "request to tender" from the managing contractor and submitted our tender on 30.9.09. We have not, as yet, received formal notification of the result of our tender. Our initial verbal enquiries indicated that we may be in the running for the job, however we observed a Queensland-based company delivering materials to the site. Subsequent verbal enquiries indicated that we were unsuccessful.

This builder operates in the small town of Kyogle, services the North Coast and employs 100 apprentices yet this is how he is treated. The second project is at Rukenvale just outside Kyogle. Both these projects are within 10 minutes drive of his company. He states:

2. Project NC-GW-BDR4, Rukenvale, Collins Creek, Wiangaree, Urbenville and The Risk Public Schools

Our firm submitted a tender for these projects on 3.11.09. Again we have not, as yet, received any formal response however verbal enquiries indicate that we were unsuccessful. Advice from one of the major local suppliers indicated that an order for timber frames and trusses had been placed by the managing contractor prior to the submission of our tender. This raises questions about the integrity of the tendering process and whether we are just providing a "check price" for the project.

It is our understanding that the tendering process was to be conducted generally in accordance with the NSW Government code of practice for Procurement. We do not believe this has been the case for the above projects.

It has been an expensive exercise to prepare a competitive tender and we will therefore review our involvement in the scheme in the light of the above issues.

He received a letter back from the Reed Group apologising for the oversight in not telling him he was unsuccessful. In answer to that letter he wrote another letter to the Reed Group, which reads:

1. Your assurance that you are following the Code of Practice is noted however the facts, and your own admission, contradict this statement. In our view the following breaches have occurred:

a. Clause 5.2, final paragraph states, "clients should advise tenderers they have been unsuccessful". We only received belated formal notification on 4.12.09, nine weeks after the submission of the tender.

b. Clause 4, "Standards of Behaviour" refers to "honesty & fairness" and "intention to proceed". With regard to the Rukenvale, Collins Creek, Wiangaree, Urbenville and The Risk schools we were requested to submit a lump sum price for each school and were unaware that you intended to deduct major material items from the contract. Had we known of your intention we would not have wasted both our sub-contractors and our own time in pricing the projects. The preparation and submission of this tender in a very short time frame involved a lot of people travelling to five separate locations from as far away as Casino, Lismore and Ballina. Your firm is clearly in breach of Clause 4.

2. Your statement that James Burson contacted us to discuss the outcomes of the tenders is incorrect. In both cases I contacted your office to obtain a result of our tender.

3. Your wish that we persist with pricing these school projects is noted however, in view of the shoddy treatment we have received our interests would be better served pricing alternative work.

The letter is signed by A. L. Marsh of F. E. Marsh and Co. This is what local builders have had to face with regard to their submission of tenders. That is a disgrace. These are the types of things we have been trying to draw to the attention of the House, as well as to the attention of both the State and Federal government, and it is why the complaints are being made in regional New South Wales.

During debate on the last three motions, including this motion, we have heard member after member speak about the cost of modular buildings. The member for Bathurst referred to the fact that only 1.5 per cent of all these charges was going to the education department. But he forgot to mention the 5.5 per cent for individual project management fees, the 3.25 per cent profit margin, the 4 per cent managing contractor's fee, the 3.25 per cent incentive fee, and the 8.8 per cent coordination fee for modular buildings. Those percentages total 26 per cent. That is where the funds are going. That is what we have been going crook about and that is what we have been trying to draw to the House's attention. Independent schools have not had to face that. They were given the full lump sums and were able to get nearly double the work done compared with what has happened in public schools.

On another occasion in this House I have spoken about the problems experienced at Wyrallah Road Public School, a wonderful public school in the Lismore area. I have also spoken to the Minister about the matter. The school had its demountables replaced. Prior to the Building the Education Revolution funding becoming available the State Education Office indicated to the school that it would have its demountables replaced at a cost of close to $2 million. When Building the Education Revolution got involved, guess what? The cost of replacing the demountables escalated to $3 million! At that time parents who were members of the parents and citizens association and who worked for major companies that carry out work for the education department in the area came to see me and indicated a back-of-the-envelope figure of $1.3 million to $1.4 million to build the same project.

I now turn to Tyalgum, in the top end of my electorate and one of the prettiest areas in my electorate. Tyalgum Public School received $850,000 for a new library and office block. The building turned up, but guess what? It did not fit onto the footings that were placed there! Besser blocks have been stacked up beside the footings to hold the building in place. I am now told by the education department that the project is not scheduled to be completed until next month, but that we should not worry about it because the contractors are going to fix it up, that it is the contractors' responsibility.

We are simply talking about a library and an office block, that is, two rooms. It must be remembered, it does not involve the purchase of the block of ground; the ground is already supplied. As the member for Murrumbidgee pointed out, the department googled in on where it was going to put a building. I ask members to think about what they could build for $850,000 in terms of a brick veneer house today, disregarding the cost of the block of ground, and simply compare the cost of building a brick veneer house with the $850,000 that was the cost of this library and school. Again, we make no apologies, all we want is value for money, and we do not want the complaints.

Ms MARIE ANDREWS (Gosford) [12.36 p.m.]: It gives me great pleasure to support the motion moved by my colleague the member for Wyong. The Building the Education Revolution package is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our schools, and our State. It should be noted that the Building the Education Revolution stimulus funding, formidable as it is, comes in addition to the New South Wales Government's record funding commitment to school maintenance and capital spending. Under the State Government's Building Better Schools Program schools will receive more than $2 billion over four years for maintenance and construction works. That is nearly 800 extra projects, on top of those being funded under the Federal Government stimulus package.

In 2009-10, $2.57 billion has been allocated to construct and redevelop school facilities, and carry out major enhancements of information and communication technology in schools. In 2009-10 we will be starting 17 major new building projects in schools and 13 in TAFE colleges, and there will be increased investment in information technology. I take this opportunity to inform the House that a $25 million high school has just been completed at Kariong, in the electorate of Gosford. We will be continuing to roll out the Government's Building Better Schools commitment to upgrade 800 science facilities in 159 schools, enhance food technology facilities at 32 schools, construct 29 school halls and 18 multipurpose gymnasiums, and upgrade toilets and install security fences at 200 schools. This financial year 63 toilet upgrades worth $10 million will be delivered as part of this program. A further 266 toilet upgrades will be undertaken over the next two years at a cost of $52.5 million.

In 2007 we asked school principals to nominate the projects at the schools that they believed were in the greatest need of attention. We have listened to them, and created the $150 million Principals Priority Building Program. Under this initiative we are funding a host of major and minor capital works projects—from painting, carpeting and plumbing to new roofs, improved bathroom facilities, and new security fences. I will cite a few examples: $400,000 for a toilet upgrade at Caringbah Public School, $80,000 for a roof upgrade at Lismore High School—I did not hear the member for Lismore mention that—$480,000 for a new roof at Baulkham Hills High School, and in my own electorate of Gosford $120,000 to upgrade toilets at Ettalong Public School and $70,000 for roof upgrades at Central Mangrove Public School. That is just to mention a few of the numerous projects going on within the electorate of Gosford.

This comes in addition to the Commonwealth's record Building the Education Revolution funding. We anticipate that, in addition to the obvious benefits to families, the stimulus package spending will support almost 15,000 jobs per year in New South Wales. There is no higher priority for this Government than creating, supporting and protecting jobs for working families in New South Wales. That is why we are investing $62.9 billion in infrastructure in New South Wales, which will underpin more than 160,000 jobs each year over the next four years—the largest infrastructure spend of any State government.

Sometimes the smallest improvement can make the biggest difference to a school community. That is why the Government is working with teachers, parents and the wider community to make sure our kids go to schools that everyone can be proud of. I will quote from a letter received from Katrina Sangster, the Principal of Ebor Public School, which was the first school to complete its National School Pride projects in December 2009. As most members would be aware, Ebor is within the electorate of the Speaker, Northern Tablelands. Ms Sangster wrote:

The new facilities are just fantastic and will definitely be well utilised here at Ebor Public.

Our new COLA comes with roll down plastic screens, which means we will be able to use it year-round.

The covered walkway will allow us to get to the bathrooms without getting drenched when the rain comes.

Inside our library and administration area, the refurbishments have delivered us a lovely fresh and bright environment in which to work and teach.

The new double glazed windows will keep us much warmer when the temperature drops down to zero and below in winter.

This is what it is all about. It is not only about making schools safer, healthier and more efficient; it is about making sure that schools are terrific places to learn. I commend the motion to the House.

Mr RAY WILLIAMS (Hawkesbury) [12.41 p.m.]: I wish to raise some concerns of schools in the Hawkesbury electorate as to the abhorrent waste of taxpayers' money on some facilities that have been provided to them. Certainly those schools require facilities, and no-one is complaining about necessary facilities being provided, but the question of costs is of concern. I refer in particular to Annangrove Public School, which was originally allocated $850,000. A multifunction hall has been required at that school for many years. When the request was made for a multifunction hall at a cost well below $850,000—in fact, less than half of that—it was denied. The school did not receive an explanation as to why that application for a multifunction hall was denied but it was advised it could have a library instead. The school already had a library and did not need another one. But the school was told in no uncertain terms that if it did not take the library it would get nothing. In that case the school decided it could do with an extra room, provided it was able to utilise the old library facilities, and accepted the Government's offer.

As the school was unable to get a definitive answer on whether it could retain the old library facility, the matter was raised on radio 2GB. When Alan Jones asked Julia Gillard whether the Government would allow Annangrove Public School to retain its original library Julia Gillard said yes. Since then a library has been completed at a cost of just under $800,000. The original quote was for a brick building—quoted on by a local builder at $400,000—including air conditioning and carpet. To draw from some of the comments made by the member for Lismore, the type of house that could be purchased for $400,000 or $500,000 would be a luxurious mansion. The tin shed erected at this school at a cost of some $800,000 displays an absolute waste of money. It should not have cost anywhere near as that much to build.

The school now has a library it did not need. The library is not air-conditioned so the parents and citizens association will have to provide it. I was interested to listen to the earlier comments by the member for Wyong about the criteria for air-conditioning in schools: it is only provided to the hottest schools. Annangrove Public School should fit that criterion. In summer the temperatures range up to 43 and 45 degrees centigrade—it is one of the hottest areas in Sydney. Once again the school has been denied air-conditioning and the parents and citizens association yet again has to fund it. Ironically—and here is the rub—even after Julia Gillard promised on radio 2GB that the school would be able to retain its original library, within the last 14 days the school has received a fax advising it that the original library is to be removed. Needless to say the school is in absolute and utter confusion. It has asked questions of the Government but is yet to receive any answers.

Let me give the House an example of the abhorrent waste of money I spoke about. Annangrove Public School is located largely in a bushland area. A fire assessment was carried out. The new library building was approved and ticked off. The library was duly constructed. There was then an additional cost of $50,000 for a landscaping plan. Imagine how much landscaping you could get done for $50,000? You could landscape half of New South Wales for $500,000! However, the landscaping went in around the library but because of the massive risk of bushfire all that landscaping has been removed—another waste of $50,000 of taxpayers' money to put in landscaping and then remove it. The toilets at the school were also removed to allow the construction of the new library. The school was advised that the toilets would be reconstructed somewhere else in the school, but that has not happened. The school now has two libraries—one of which it did not need—and it did not get the hall it wanted. This was done at a cost of $800,000-odd when it should have cost only $400,000. What a waste of taxpayers' money!

Mr FRANK TERENZINI (Maitland) [12.46 p.m.]: I am happy to speak on this very important motion. I have a list in front of me of 23 primary schools in my electorate that have been allocated well over $30 million under this program. I have visited each of those schools and not one principal has expressed any concern, regret or second thought about the projects at their schools. The principals are happy to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a piece of infrastructure—

Mr Ray Williams: What are the parents and citizens associations saying?

Mr FRANK TERENZINI: I gave the member for Hawkesbury courtesy. I am disappointed that he is not reciprocating. Members opposite have locked themselves into a position. The Opposition opposes the idea of funding schools as part of the stimulus package to build this infrastructure. Those opposite are wriggling around and trying to get out of the situation by recounting negative stories. According to the members for Lismore and Hawkesbury it is only Government electorates that have good news. According to them it is nothing but bad news in Opposition electorates. That is not true. Every member in this House is grateful that his or her local school has received this infrastructure. Members opposite are just playing politics. That is what happens when you oppose a good idea. When you oppose a good idea but then find out that it is a really good idea and that everything is working well you end up having to oppose a motion such as this. Members opposite are opposing $30 million for primary schools in one electorate alone.

To give but a few examples: Ashtonfield Public School, $1.514,000 for a new covered outdoor learning area [COLA]; Lochinvar Public School, $850,000 for a new library; Bolwarra Public School, $2.5 million for a new COLA; Seaham Public School, $2 million for a new COLA—40 per cent complete; Telarah Public School, a new library; Maitland Public School, a new hall; and Maitland East Public School, $3 million for a new classroom. That classroom is for people with disabilities. Is it not a good story for people with disabilities to attend a public school with a brand new classroom to learn in? For those of us on this side of the House it is, but it is no good on the other side. It is all bad news.

Other works include Metford Public School, a multipurpose hall, $1.57 million; Millers Forest Public School, an excellent school, a new library, $250,000; Thornton Public School, a multipurpose hall, $3 million; and Woodberry Learning Centre, an excellent learning centre in my electorate, $300,000 for a new classroom. I seriously suggest that Opposition members stop, because they are heading in the wrong direction. Let us all agree that this program has been a resounding success. Issues have arisen along the way, of course, because it is a massive program involving the allocation of billions of dollars to thousands of schools across New South Wales.

Mr Steve Cansdell: Your heart is not in it, mate.

Mr FRANK TERENZINI: The member for Clarence interjects. Is he going to speak in this debate and say it is a bad idea? Is he going to say that the stimulus program that has given schools a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have gymnasiums, science laboratories and halls is a bad idea? No, he will continue to interject. He will just sit there and mumble. He will not take part in this debate, because he thinks the program is a good idea, as do the members for Port Stephens, Albury and Hawkesbury. They are all happy that this is happening. When times get tough the Labor governments in this country make sure that they provide services to the core areas of the community: social housing, schools and health. A quarter of the State's budget goes to education—$14.7 billion. The stimulus package has built upon the Building Better Schools program and the maintenance programs to ensure that our schools get the very best. If Opposition members want to restore credibility on this issue they should say it is a good idea and talk about good news rather than niggling, carping and whining.

Mr Ray Williams: Point of order: Could the member for Maitland advise us whether the reason he is not standing for re-election is that the community does not want him or that the Australian Labor Party does not want him?

ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Diane Beamer): Order! There is no point of order. Again, the member for Hawkesbury has demonstrated that he does not know how to take a point of order.

Mr FRANK TERENZINI: Take note of that point of order. It answers the question.

Mr GREG APLIN (Albury) [12.51 p.m.]: I wish to make a contribution to this motion. I also wish the member for Maitland better success in grasping the truth in his future career than he demonstrated in his contribution to this debate. Across the country, schools and most people welcomed the windfall for infrastructure replacement following the Federal Government's announcement last year about the Building the Education Revolution Program funding. That program, which is better known by its acronym BERP, continues to have repercussions throughout our State because the application of the money has not met with vociferous approval from the parents and citizens associations and staff and principals of many schools. Comparisons have been drawn between the independent and private schools and public schools in relation to value for money. I want to explore some of those examples in the short time I have available. Several months on from the announcement it became obvious that the promised money could be considered a poisoned chalice for some schools because their allocation may not provide them with the buildings they so desperately desired. The Border Mail editorial on 27 October 2009 stated:

A case in point is Jindera Public School where a promised $2 million investment will not provide for the requested multipurpose facility or assembly hall extension, allowing development of a facility sufficient to accommodate all students, as well as parents and guests.

Instead, the school has been offered a new classroom and storage and support teacher space, buildings which will not meet the community's needs but which fall within tight government guidelines.

The editorial noted that the community of the Albury electorate had welcomed Federal Government investment, which the Minister for Education and Training told me was $45 million in funding for public schools within the electorate. However, the issue is the application of the funding. The editorial continued:

However, if those allocations force these schools to compromise on what it is they need, then is it any wonder that parents and citizens associations are labelling the program a waste of taxpayer money.

The front page of the Border Mail on Tuesday 27 October 2009 under a cleverly titled headline "It's Hall Too Hard" stated:

A $2 million investment in Jindera Public School has been deemed a waste of taxpayers' money by members of the parents and citizens association.

The Building the Education Revolution funding announced by the Federal Government earlier this year will be spent on a new classroom and storage and support teacher space, rather than what was requested.

The school was told that it didn't qualify for a hall that was bigger than it already had and that an extension was not possible within the provided budget.

P and C president Deanne Burr said the school has been forced to "settle" for a building that it doesn't want or need.

She said P and C members considered the project to be a waste of taxpayers' money.

"It was very exciting to start with," she said.

"We thought we were going to get a building that would double for the community as well as the school, but it's just become too hard basically."

"We can't seem to find anything that is going to meet the community's needs and the guidelines of the Government."

Mrs Burr said there was nowhere that could accommodate all 177 students, as well as parents and guests.

She said on occasions such as school presentation nights, the audience was forced out into the weather.

As I well know, having attended presentation night and other functions at the school in both winter and summer conditions. The article continued:

The school, which is required to liaise with the NSW Education Department on its proposals, was presented with the option of extending the rear wall of the hall which would place the stage in the centre of the building.

These are the types of stories I have heard throughout the electorate. On a visit to a school in Holbrook I was advised that $2 million had been allocated for a hall. That was good news. However, the principal and the parents and citizens representatives were aware of the way in which money had been spent by independent schools and they recognised that they could acquire a new school hall for $1.2 million. Unfortunately, all $2 million had to be spent on the hall and not on any other facilities. Following inquiries they were told that some of the money would be allocated towards an upgrading of the Country Energy substation in the area. They asked what that had to do with the school: they were not getting air-conditioning or expensive lighting that required extra energy. They were told it was part of the structure. This issue was also reinforced to me by the parents and citizens association at another school. The Government is taking opportunities in New South Wales to upgrade infrastructure, which it should be supplying, on the back of Federal Government money. No wonder taxpayers are concerned about this expenditure.

Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong—Parliamentary Secretary) [12.56 p.m.], in reply: I thank the members for Lismore, Gosford, Maitland, Hawkesbury and Albury for their contributions to debate on this motion. I listened with bewilderment to the arguments put by the Opposition. The member for Albury summed up their arguments in his speech. The purpose of this program is to stimulate the economy and, more importantly, improve facilities for students. The member for Albury said that the community wanted a hall, not new classrooms and space for a support teacher. Is there any more important person in a school than the support teacher who works with children with special needs to make sure they are able to learn and to read, write and add up? Is there anyone more important in a school? The Opposition has to understand that sometimes communities ask for what they think they need, but educationalists know what the students need. It is about the students and improvements in educational facilities.

Opposition members who contributed to the debate said they need halls so that they can hold functions, but they object to new classrooms. The member for Hawkesbury objected to the removal of a demountable library and the construction of a permanent library. That is ludicrous. Anyone who has worked in a school knows that the first thing that has to be done is to improve the facilities the students use every single day. Students are there to learn, and that is the most important function of a school. The community wants to use the facilities on weekends for celebrations. If everything else is in place, that is appropriate.

But when kids are going into demountable classrooms and demountable libraries and when the schools do not have proper spaces for support teachers, it would be negligent to not attend to those things first. That is what the program has done: it has put in place what schoolchildren need to improve their learning. The Opposition says that the wrong decisions have been made, but members opposite need to have a good hard look at themselves. My wife is a teacher and I had 20 years in education—14 years as a principal—and I know that the first responsibility I had was to make sure that kids had good learning spaces. Yet the Opposition does not understand that and prefers to take any opportunity to criticise.

The Opposition has got it totally wrong in regard to costs and does not understand them. The costs that the Opposition quotes for building work done previously done do not include the work done by the Department of Commerce and the Government's asset management committee. All the community saw were the end costs, the actual building costs. That money came in one big bucket and all those costs still have to be taken out. When a building is built in a school, you have to go back through the Department of Commerce to work out the end costs for that building. The Opposition admits that it does not understand that.

If the Opposition ever got onto the Treasury benches, if it ever took office, we would be in big trouble because it would under-cost every project that is done across the State. It is easy to stand up and carp and snipe, but you have to understand how a budget enables work to be undertaken and how things like occupational health and safety costs are included in the costs of setting up building sites. Those contractors were not just taking the money and hiving it off into a bank account, they were using the money to do the important things that need to be done to make building sites safe and to train teachers in how to operate in the school while the building work is being done. All those things come into the costs.

To stand in this place and claim that some buildings cost only half the price shows that the Opposition does not understand what it costs when a building is built in a school. The buildings have to be built to a higher standard because they will be used by people with disabilities and they have to have all the fire precautions and be wired properly for all the new technology. It is absolutely ludicrous for the Opposition to argue that halls and other things should be provided instead of classrooms, libraries and support teacher classrooms, which are really needed.

Question—That the motion be agreed to—put and resolved in the affirmative.

Motion agreed to.