Marrickville Electorate Education

Ms CARMEL TEBBUTT (Marrickville) [7.14 p.m.]: Today I speak once again about education in Marrickville and the fantastic work that is happening in schools in my electorate. Recently I had the pleasure of attending events at Ferncourt Public School, Marrickville High School, Fort Street High School, Marrickville Public School and Christian Brothers Lewisham. Education Week was a great opportunity for me to spend time with teachers, students and parents. During that week I visited a number of schools in my electorate. At Ferncourt Public School I addressed a year 4 class on civics and the New South Wales Parliament. I also attended a meeting of principals from both primary and high schools in the electorate, at which we discussed a range of issues, including the implementation of the Federal Government's computer roll-out, the new national skills testing program, school maintenance, school promotions, staffing, and the positive outcomes of the class size reduction program. It was extremely beneficial for me to have this time with principals in my electorate and to hear firsthand from them.

I also attended Marrickville High School, which hosted a morning tea to raise funds for cancer research and to introduce its Principal for a Day, Professor Ann Brewer. The morning tea showcased Marrickville High School and its students. The event was very well attended by other schools, community members and parents. I congratulate everyone involved in organising the morning tea, including the hardworking and enthusiastic acting principal, Ms Judy Kelly, and Neelam Prasad and Anila Sanal Kumar from the year 8 student representative council.

Another exciting event during Education Week was a special assembly and morning tea at Fort Street High School. At this event Fort Street students, teachers and parents celebrated the Federal Government's decision to provide noise insulation for the school. This has been a longstanding issue for Fort Street High School, which is on the top of Taverners Hill and is badly affected by aircraft noise. A number of schools, either in my electorate or close by, have been insulated, including Newington College, Stanmore Public School and the Leichhardt campus of Sydney Secondary College. It had been a source of great frustration to students and teachers at Fort Street that the aircraft noise which regularly interrupted students' learning had not been addressed. In fact, during the assembly we were interrupted a number of times by planes flying overhead. The Federal Government's decision to provide insulation is warmly welcomed by the school and school community. I congratulate the Principal of Fort Street High School, Ms Ros Moxham, the student leaders, Lucia Osborne-Crowley and Sanjay Chavali, and all who were involved in organising the special assembly. We were treated to a wonderful performance of Bacchanale by the school orchestra.

Many other events were held at schools in my electorate during Education Week, including Marrickvillian Day at Marrickville Public School. While I was not able to attend Marrickvillian Day, only a few weeks earlier, on 30 April, I had attended Marrickville Public School's annual commemoration of Anzac Day. This very moving ceremony is organised each year by the hardworking and dedicated community member Ms Chris Burgess. It gives the students the opportunity to gain a better understanding of Anzac Day and what it means, and to remember all Australians who have served and died in wars and conflicts. Neville Woodward, a Vietnam veteran, addressed the students, and local police and fire services also attended. I congratulate the school principal, Ms Kerry Chambers, Ms Chris Burgess, and everyone else involved in organising the event.

Finally, I congratulate Brother Paul Conn and Christian Brothers High School Lewisham on a successful official opening and blessing of their new buildings held on 13 June. The Brother Julian McDonald Centre, the Waterford Learning Centre, the Dr Victor Chang Science Building and the Brother V. A. Doody Building provide a multipurpose hall, a new library and resource centre, new science facilities, and additional classrooms for students at Christian Brothers Lewisham. The project, which is the last phase of the 1998 master building plan, was celebrated with an assembly that included an address by Brother Julian McDonald, a blessing by the Most Reverend Bishop Terence Brady, and a vote of thanks by school leader Anthony Khoury. There were also wonderful performances by students.

It is always a pleasure to spend time in schools in my electorate and to see the fantastic work of students, teachers, school staff and parents. I thank them all for their dedication and commitment to learning. I also thank regional director Mr Phil Lambert and school education directors Mr Paul Parkes and Ms Sylvia Corish, who do so much to support the public schools in Marrickville. New South Wales has one of the best public education systems in the world, and the New South Wales Government is determined to make sure that the State's students and teachers have access to high-quality educational resources and facilities.

Over the next four years an estimated $693 million in recurrent funding will be provided for school and TAFE New South Wales technology initiatives. This includes the $158 million Connected Classrooms Program, which will deliver an interactive whiteboard to every New South Wales public school. I congratulate the schools in the Marrickville electorate on the role they are playing in preparing students to become active, engaged and contributing members of society.

Mr JOHN AQUILINA (Riverstone—Leader of the House) [7.19 p.m.]: I compliment the member for Marrickville on her contribution about the schools in her electorate. I also congratulate her on noting the outstanding work the schools do. Not only does she have very close contact with the schools in her electorate; as a former Minister for Education she also knows precisely what is of value to those schools and the local community. I commend her for recognising the many accomplishments that warrant promotion and congratulations.

I was particularly pleased to hear her mention Christian Brothers' High School at Lewisham. I attended that school, and I understand that the Acting-Speaker's elder brother was a student there. It has achieved much and it is great to see that it is still doing so. It has a very proud history. Brother Julian McDonald, the chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, was for many years the Provincial of the Christian Brothers. He also attended the function to which the member for Marrickville referred. I congratulate the Christian Brothers' High School at Lewisham—of which I am very proud—on the outstanding contribution it has made to education in New South Wales.