Debate resumed from 13 March 2009.

Mrs KARYN PALUZZANO (Penrith—Parliamentary Secretary) [4.10 p.m.]: The Minister for Education and Training has announced a wide-ranging inquiry to inform any decisions on the Hurlstone Agricultural High School site. The inquiry will consider a range of issues, including the needs of current and future students, the needs of the agricultural sector and the needs of the surrounding community. The inquiry has not yet begun. It is appropriate that the House gives the inquiry a chance to do its work and make its recommendations about the school's needs. This bill seeks to preclude any change whatsoever at the school and maintain the status quo.

The Government does not accept that is in the best interest of the school's students. Many schools in New South Wales have implemented change and there have been new developments in education because it is in the best interests of school students. For example, Nepean High School has an agricultural faculty, but in recent years the school implemented the No Dole program, which is run by the Beacon Foundation. Previously students were not involved with the program, but Beacon Foundation negotiated with the school and the program has been running now for four years. To preclude any change whatsoever at schools is not advisable.

In last year's mini-budget the Government announced its intention to reprioritise spending. The Premier made it clear he wanted as much of the State's resources as possible moved into front-line services—the services the community wants and relies on. The Department of Education and Training administers more than $28 billion worth of land and buildings on behalf of New South Wales taxpayers. Not all the land is currently occupied by schools and TAFE colleges. For example, the department regularly reserves land in population growth areas where projections show that a school is likely to be needed in the future. Land is purchased and reserved before the development of an area, to ensure the best value. In cases where the need for a school does not eventuate, the department sells the land to acquire new sites of projected growth.

As part of the mini-budget process, the Department of Education and Training was asked to review the land it held and identify property that was not being used for the benefit of students. Any such land identified would be sold, with the proceeds shared between the school system and other front-line services. The department has responsibility for transferring assets, as required, to ensure that they are allocated fairly across the State so as to maximise the educational outcomes of all school students. Through the mini-budget process, the department was called on to identify sites that were not being used currently for the benefit of students and were not likely to be needed in the future. The advice received by the Minister for Education and Training was that land on the Hurlstone Agricultural High School site fell into this category.

The department advised that not all the 160 hectares the school sits on was being used to the maximum benefit of students and that it would benefit the school if some of that land were sold and part of the proceeds reinvested in new and upgraded facilities for the school. There is a good argument to support this view. The agricultural sector has changed substantially since the school was established on its present site in 1926. Agriculture today is as much about the smart application of modern tools and technology as it is about the size of the plot that an agricultural enterprise has at its disposal. Related disciplines in animal sciences, genetic technology, soil studies and even work around climate change—fields in which the Hurlstone alumni excel—demand a far more sophisticated scientific understanding of natural processes than the school can impart with its current resources.

The Minister has made it clear that that is the view of the Department of Education and Training. However, the Minister has accepted that it is not a view that is shared by many in the community. That is why the Minister has called an independent inquiry to determine which parts, if any, of the site should be sold and how any available proceeds should be invested. For members who may not have heard my opening remarks, I repeat: This bill seeks to preclude any change whatsoever to the school site and seeks to maintain the status quo. The Minister has called an independent inquiry and it is appropriate that the inquiry is allowed to do its work. The inquiry, which has not yet begun, will consider a range of issues, including the needs of current and future students, the needs of the agricultural sector, and the needs of the surrounding community.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [4.17 p.m.]: I speak to the Hurlstone Agricultural High School Site Bill 2009. The objects of the bill are:

(a) to ensure that the Hurlstone Agricultural High School site remains in public ownership, and

(b) to limit the use of the site to that of a government school.

We have just heard the Government's response to the bill. I cannot believe the line the Government is peddling. Together with the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the shadow Minister for Education and Training, the shadow Minister for Western New South Wales and the member for Clarence, I visited Hurlstone Agricultural High School this morning. As someone who comes from a rural background, I was very impressed with what I saw. I saw young students in their school uniforms at 7.30 a.m. working in the dairy milking cows. One young girl told us that she gets up every morning at 4.00 a.m. and travels to school to work in the dairy before commencing her schoolwork. It has to be seen to be believed: young people so dedicated to their work and studies at school.

Yet the Government is going to take that opportunity away from them. There are 200 boarders at the school and close to 700 day students. Those students go to Hurlstone Agricultural High School because they do not have access to the same opportunities anywhere else in Sydney or even close to Sydney. I believe the closest facility would be Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, a boys school at Tamworth, and Yanco Agricultural High School. Hurlstone Agricultural High School gives students from all around country and regional New South Wales, as well as the Newcastle-Sydney-Wollongong areas, the opportunity to attend and learn about agriculture. There is a shortfall of around 800 graduates each year that are needed to go into this industry.

The agricultural industry underwrites the economy of this State. Hurlstone Agricultural High School is giving its students, at the grassroots level, the opportunity to enter this wonderful industry and to explore further a career in agriculture in this State. At this morning's visit to the school I learnt that it has one of the very few Ayrshire studs still operating as a dairy farm, with the Ayrshire stud providing the nucleus of the milking herd. Some Friesian cows support it also, of course. I even saw a Jersey cow there. The school has a good cross-section of dairy cows, which looked to be in magnificent condition and were well presented. You could even go and drink the milk straight out of the vat. The students do a wonderful job: the place was very clean—I walked through the dairy right up to where the cows were being milked in the suit I am wearing now.

Mrs Karyn Paluzzano: There's a milking dairy in Penrith.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE: Yes, I know that; there is one in Penrith too. We also saw what they are doing with pigs and poultry, and how they are teaching the children to grow vegetables—showing them what agriculture is all about. But this Government is going to take away that opportunity for the children to learn about agriculture. The Government believes it can sell the bulk of the land and leave the school with just 35 acres. There are problems all around the State with people trying to farm on 35 acres; it is just not viable. Yet, here we have 200 students who board at this school because they want to learn about agriculture in a practical way. The day students attend the school for the same reason.

Many people who are leaders in agriculture right across this country went to Hurlstone Agricultural High School. In my electorate Peter Carlill has just retired as chairman of the board of the Northern Cooperative Meat Company at Casino, which employs 1,000 people and exports meat and hides to countries around the world. Peter was elected the year after I was elected to the board in 1981. His interest in agriculture came from attending Hurlstone Agricultural High School. The practical experience that he received while studying at the school gave him the grounding to follow a successful career in agriculture. He was awarded the 1962 Star Junior Farmer Award. Peter went on to be a leader in the pig industry, the soya bean industry—I would say he was a pioneer in the soya bean industry on the coast—and the beef industry in the Northern Rivers area. He was chairman of the Northern Cooperative Meat Company for some nine years before he retired.

At the school visit this morning my colleagues and I felt considerable pride in the school when we saw the names of leaders in agriculture listed on the honour boards. Those people would feel much pride in being graduates of Hurlstone. Hurlstone Agricultural High School has been able to introduce many students to agriculture through hands-on experience gained from the farm. To sell the farm would be to deny its future students this opportunity. As I said earlier, Hurlstone is one of only two agricultural public schools in Sydney and one of only four in New South Wales. Although I do not want to scare people, I heard recently that the Government might have been looking to sell off land at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School and Yanco Agricultural High School also. I hope that information is incorrect, but it came from a very reliable source.

If that is on the cards this Government will have a revolt on its hands not only from Hurlstone Agricultural High School but also from country and regional New South Wales. I cannot understand why the Government wants to sell 140 hectares of land and reduce the school site to only 20 hectares as part of the accelerated sale of surplus education land outlined in the mini-budget. There has been widespread opposition to this, not only in this Parliament but also from many people in country and regional New South Wales who have brought it to my attention. I received an email from a past graduate of the school, Robert Holman, who has a Bachelor of Science in agriculture and a diploma in education. He cannot believe what the Government is proposing to do with Hurlstone Agricultural High School. He states in his email:

HAHS is the only public boarding school in Sydney. It provides opportunities for children from country NSW to undertake quality education

It is recognised by the community and by the State that this school is providing quality education, and that is something of which we can all be proud. However, it is also affordable education, giving many people an opportunity to enter the agricultural industry. Mr Holman points out that city kids want to learn about agriculture. Hurlstone provides that opportunity and bridges the gap between the city and the country. The Government was a little taken aback when it realised, after the announcement was made about the sale, that a memorial forest that is an important part of Australia's military heritage is on the property. We are told now that the forest will not be part of the sale. Robert Holman pleads with the Government, as I do:

Please reverse the decision to sell HAHS land. It is a strong public school with ties to all areas of the state and is one of the last remaining institutional links between city and country life in NSW. Furthermore, the school has a proud patriotic history displayed by the school motto "Pro Patria" that will be forever damaged if this decision is not reversed.

How could anyone disagree with Robert's words? In this Parliament we talk about a stimulus package and we talk about jobs every day, yet we are doing this to an industry in this State that needs considerable support in encouraging young people into the so-called apprenticeships the Government keeps talking about. We are taking away a school that provides an initiative for people to go into the agricultural sector in this State. It is something students can learn from year 7 and it encourages them to expand their thoughts and experience the agricultural world.

This morning we were informed also that because Hurlstone Agricultural High School is strategically placed near the railway station many primary school students travel by train to visit the school because they have the opportunity to see cows being milked. They also see poultry, pigs and calves being reared. That is a rare experience for many primary school students. It is wonderful that that facility is on the doorstep of schools in the region. If it is removed it will affect not only the students at Hurlstone but also students at surrounding education facilities because they will no longer have easy access to learning about agriculture and what we produce in this State.

I was also very impressed with the enthusiasm of some of the students who accompanied us on the bus tour of the property, including Iain Maclennan and Emma Ludington. Iain, who is from Orange, could not speak highly enough of the school. It meant an enormous amount to him to have the opportunity to attend Hurlstone Agricultural High School, to further his agriculture interests and to board with his mates. This Government intends to rob him and other young people of the opportunity to maintain that interest. It is good to see the member for East Hills in the Chamber. I am sure that he, like the member for Macquarie Fields and the member for Penrith, will speak on this bill because it will affect their electorates. I am also sure that they will support this bill because they do not realise how angry people are about this issue. The anger of parents, former students and current students—

Mr Steve Cansdell: It will grow over the next two years.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE: It will more than grow over the next two years. Members opposite do not realise that the ramifications of this decision will be more dramatic than the ramifications of the bus subsidies saga. The member for East Hills and the member for Macquarie Fields should remember that. The Government reversed its decision to remove that subsidy once it realised it was the wrong thing to do. As Robert Holman said, the school's motto will be forever damaged if this decision is not reversed. [Time expired.]

Mr ALAN ASHTON (East Hills) [4.32 p.m.]: Opposition members should recognise that the Minister for Education and Training has called for a far-reaching inquiry so that she is more informed about any decision to sell land at Hurlstone Agricultural High School. The member for Lismore made some good points during his contribution to the debate this afternoon, but I will be a little more specific. I congratulate the Government and the Minister on the decision to conduct an inquiry. It would not be controversial to say that the November mini-budget was not the best mini-budget to be handed down in Australia. I have no problem saying that. It was introduced when indicators suggested that the world economy was heading for a disaster and that triple-A credit ratings were at risk. All these things were very important. However, the briefing document produced by the boffins at the Department of Education and Training justifying the sale of a large portion of land at Hurlstone Agricultural High School contained inaccurate figures.

One would not convict a criminal based on the quality of the information in the document provided to the Minister. If the Minister received inaccurate information, so too did the Government. It therefore follows that local members who decided to support the mini-budget also received inaccurate information. Since my days working as an adviser to Rodney Cavalier I have gone on the record and said that selling off government high school sites or part thereof is anathema. Members interested in history would remember the sale of the Bass High School site in the electorate of Bankstown. Under advice, once again from the department, the Government decided to sell a school site to a company that proposed to erect hundreds of houses. Within a short time the company sold the site to a Muslim society that decided to build a school, halls and other facilities. Of course, the locals were in uproar because they had been told that the land was being sold for residential development. That has resulted in Bankstown City Council spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in an attempt to have the decision overturned. That case is still before the courts today.

I congratulate the Government because it has heard what the people have been saying. Without intending any disrespect to the member for Lismore, I point out that the Government has heard what Government members have been saying, particularly the member for Macquarie Fields and members like me. I did not attend Hurlstone Agricultural High School, but some of my constituents have attended it and some still do. I have not had a chance to make copious notes in preparation for this debate, but I remember that the departmental briefing said something about Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, Yanco Agricultural High School and other school sites having small amounts of land and that they do a wonderful job with the kids and the animals. However, it also said that Hurlstone Agricultural High School has a vast amount of land but virtually no animals. It gave the impression that one could fire a shotgun through the place and not hit an alpaca, a goat, a chicken or a sheep. That seemed incredible to me.

Mr Ludington and his daughter Emma, whom the member for Lismore mentioned, also visited me. I have rarely met two more impressive, informed, intelligent and decent people. Emma, who was at that stage in year 9 at Hurlstone Agricultural High School, made the point that the school has 130 cattle. She virtually knew all their names. She also said that there were sheep, alpacas, goats, pigs and chickens. The departmental brief did not even mention the alpacas. Emma knew that these animals existed and that they roamed about, and classes involving them were important for her. She wants to get a job in the country or to work in the animal husbandry or agricultural industries.

The departmental brief also stated that James Ruse Agricultural High School is vital and the leading agricultural high school in New South Wales. I was a teacher for 23 or 24 years and I know how the system works. James Ruse Agricultural High School has a very small site and very few students study agriculture after year 10. It also has a huge number of students from an Asian background. I am not being politically incorrect when I say that they are not interested in studying agriculture. They study four unit maths and science and languages. There is no point in comparing James Ruse Agricultural High School, which gets the best Higher School Certificate results in the State—good luck to it—with Hurlstone Agricultural High School, which also has excellent students, but more of its students continue to study agriculture. They do the subjects that will help them to get work in the country.

Emma was able to present me with accurate statistics because she was a student at the school. She had counted all the animals on the site. I could have passed the information that she provided to me to the member for Macquarie Fields, because the school is not in my electorate. However, I did pay him the courtesy of telling him what I thought and that I would support any campaign to have the proposal revisited, which we are doing today. I also spoke to a few other people who sent me emails. Of course, some people took the ideological view that it is a criminal decision and typical of a bad Labor government. It was easy to work out which emails had been written at the Liberal Party headquarters. However, some people were very genuine and said that they were not against the Government or me. In fact, they said that they know I have done a great job as their local member and that is why they approached me to help them.

I told the Minister on day one that I would take up this issue and ask some tricky questions. As we all have at times, I have trusted bureaucratic advice. However, I later established that it misnamed a site that could be used or did not allow for the fact that some buildings on a site were vital. We cannot look at a site and simply decide to chop bits off, sell them and bank the money. That is especially so with the Bass Hill exercise. Since that went wrong covenants have been introduced to say there must be legal guarantees on sales, so one has to worry.

I congratulate the two constituents who came to see me, as well as the people who sent me emails. Wayne Ludington and Emma are impressive people. I do not doubt that they met also with the member for Macquarie Fields. I am happy that the Government is prepared to revisit this decision. We do not say the decision will change. However, any decision taken will not be based on a brief that was knocked together virtually overnight, ignoring the truth about the site. The decision will not ignore the number of animals or how many courses are taught. A comparison was made with James Ruse Agricultural High School, where kids are getting better results, not in agriculture but in languages, four unit maths and other subjects. The Government has come to the right decision: hold a proper inquiry.

The Opposition can have some fun and say, "Here we are again, having to revisit something", but I would much rather be part of a government that is prepared to revisit decisions and have independent inquiries than a government that goes full steam ahead, damn the torpedoes. Again, I congratulate the member for Macquarie Fields and other members who represent electorates in the area. I know this issue means a lot to the member for Camden, to the member for Campbelltown and to the member for Wollondilly, but it also means a lot to me as the member for East Hills. My constituents can board a train at East Hills and travel to Glenfield and Holsworthy to attend the school. It is about probity; it is about getting the right advice and making a decision—tough or otherwise. The Government has to base that decision on timely, accurate information, not on facts that people present conveniently when much of the site is suggested for sale.

Mr KEVIN HUMPHRIES (Barwon) [4.41 p.m.]: It is with pleasure that I speak on the Hurlstone Agricultural High School Site Bill 2009. I emphasise the word "site" because The Nationals and the Liberals are pushing to maintain the integrity of Hurlstone Agricultural High School and to ensure that the site remains in public ownership. More than 100 years ago our forefathers had a vision not only for New South Wales but also for western Sydney. Hurlstone Agricultural High School is not just a site; it is a precinct. It was established to provide education and training—it is not a single facility but co-located facilities—in agriculture and other subjects. The site was developed as a precinct in perpetuity, and the community is reminding us of that today.

The member the East Hills is correct: there are two other educational facilities on the site. One is a behavioural school and the other is an indigenous-based school, which is close to my heart and which I visited this morning. There are also other facilities that belong to the Department of Education and Training. The behavioural school was established in the area because it was recognised that students and young people who experience difficulties in life respond far better when they are surrounded by open space. Those schools and that site did not evolve by accident. The co-location of the facilities is no accident. The indigenous school also did not develop by accident; we made a commitment to indigenous issues. As time goes on the community responds to change to a certain extent, but the open space at the Hurlstone Agricultural High School precinct must be preserved.

The member for Penrith spoke about the interests of the 900 students. This bill is not just about the interests of the students—many of whom we met this morning, as the member for Lismore pointed out—who come from Orange, Griffith, Mudgee and pretty well throughout the whole central west, as well as from my town of Moree. It was a privilege to meet the students who come from Sydney. The member for Lismore spoke about the young girl who gets up at four o'clock every morning to join the staff—who love the place—in milking the cows. Another young student who comes from near East Hills was offered a scholarship to a different school but chose to attend Hurlstone Agricultural High School because she wants to pursue animal husbandry studies at the University of New England and to work in the agriculture sector, particularly in livestock management. These are Sydney-based kids who want to connect with country areas, and to the agricultural industry generally.

Comparing Hurlstone Agricultural High School to James Ruse Agricultural High School is like comparing apples to oranges. I recognise that James Ruse does a good job catering for the higher achievers, but Hurlstone Agricultural High School is about getting your hands dirty. Agriculture is about getting your hands dirty. It is refreshing to see young city people wanting to engage in food and fibre production, and we want encourage and maintain their interest. Why? There has been a fundamental disconnect from agriculture in the past generation—particularly under this Government—and now our increasingly urbanised society fails to understand what sustains it and where its basic needs, such as food, water and clothing, come from.

It is a concern when young people in urban areas think milk comes out of a carton and meat comes from Coles, Woolworths or the local butcher. Our highly urbanised communities are disconnected from what sustains them, and where it comes from. If places such as Hurlstone Agricultural High School start to disappear from our community—it could be a benchmark, and I will talk about that in a moment—we will lose a visible connection between our highly urbanised community and the communities that sustain us through food production.

The problem for the Government is that global warming and all its purported effects have superseded and overtaken the food security issue. As civilisations become more urbanised over time, attention strays from agricultural production and that leads eventually to their demise. We are reaching that point in this country. Not only are we exporting our jobs, but we are exporting agriculture. We are sending a clear message not only to the people of western Sydney but also to all of Sydney and New South Wales that we do not think agricultural food production is important. How do I know that? We watch for trends. Eight agricultural research stations in New South Wales are currently under threat from this Government. While we are on the subject of job losses in New South Wales, potentially another 20 jobs will go from Condobolin. We were at a rally there last Friday with more than 500 people who do not want to lose their jobs. They do not want to see agriculture and food production put on the backburner.

This debate reaches further than Hurlstone Agricultural High School. The Government seems committed to this course of action, and it is a worrying trend. The push came through the mini-budget—which the member for East Hills acknowledged was probably the worst mini-budget ever to be delivered in this country. Did the Government seek advice? It should have sought and taken advice on the matter. The Premier is constantly taking advice but he refuses to make decisions. The Government should not blame the Education bureaucrats by suggesting that they give poor advice when it is not doing its homework properly—something of a trend, it seems.

The Coalition has heard complaints that the decision is bordering on environmental and social vandalism. The Government is continuing its urbanised push at the expense of open space. Today a year 11 student—who will be a voter in two years—said that last week senior students and friends of Hurlstone Agricultural High School did a letterbox drop in the electorate of Macquarie Fields. I acknowledge the good work of the member for Macquarie Fields. Those same people will campaign in at least the five electorates of Macquarie Fields, Campbelltown, Camden, Wollondilly and Balmain to ensure that the decision is reversed.

Decisions can be reversed. The mini-budget was disastrous; it was a shocker. I am aware of two Government decisions that were reversed: the bus subsidy that created angst in some outer western Sydney suburbs and in rural New South Wales; and the staffing decision made by the Department of Education and Training. It was disingenuous of the Government to establish an inquiry simply to protect Labor members who represent electorates in the western suburbs. The Government was seeking to protect the member for Macquarie Fields and Labor members in the neighbouring electorates of Campbelltown, Camden and Wollondilly. That was evident from documents that we obtained under freedom of information. The Opposition has been researching this issue for some time because we feel strongly about it, as do the locals.

The inquiry announcement was prompted by local grassroots pressure—an indication that the Government is out of touch. The Government should get up to speed with the views of the people of Hurlstone and the surrounding areas. They are not necessarily angry with individual members but they will vote with their feet at the next election. The decision is social and environmental vandalism and it will undermine food security. Significant infrastructure runs through the 600-acre property, including many powerlines and grids, particularly on the ridge. Any areas that are sold off for residential development will need to be buffered because a large proportion of the site is not suitable for housing. I do not know whether the people who made the residential development recommendation visited the site.

Sewer infrastructure also runs through the property. Hurlstone Agricultural High School has some environmentally sensitive areas, particularly on the floodplain. The property maintains and propagates animals such as beef and dairy cattle, and goats. It has one of the oldest Ayrshire dairy cattle studs in New South Wales. Children learn to raise pigs and chickens, and get their hands dirty growing sorghum, forage and vegetables. A self-sustaining farm on this scale must be retained. The area is the lungs of western and south-western Sydney. People who live in that part of the world are far healthier because of the open space, clean water and lack of traffic congestion. There is a whole host of reasons why that part of the world is a good place to live. If Hurlstone Agricultural High School loses its character, identity and uniqueness it will become a generic school, and this will be a retrograde step for the community.

I had the pleasure of meeting some of the staff—even though they have supposedly been gagged. They corroborated some of our information—for example, the department has considered selling agricultural high school land in other parts of the State, namely at Yanco and Farrer. It is incorrect to suggest that land sales in other parts of the State have not been considered. Staff, parents, students—who are the future of our State and our country—and the community do not want this decision. Hurlstone Agricultural High School should be a showcase for Sydney. Every primary school student should have the opportunity to visit Hurlstone Agricultural High School to see where food and fibre comes from, and how food is produced. We need more of these schools, not fewer. We certainly must retain Hurlstone Agricultural High School in its entirety and in its current form.

Mr PAUL McLEAY (Heathcote) [4.56 p.m.]: I agreed with the last sentiment expressed by the member for Barwon, when he said that we should listen to the community and involve the people. However, he then said it was disingenuous for the Government to establish a review when this bill has been introduced to stop it. His arguments are contradictory. If the community wants a review and the Government agrees to it, the bill should not proceed. If the Government is serious about having a fair dinkum review we should await its outcome, not debate a bill that prevents the review from occurring. If the community and many residents in the area—graduates, milk drinkers and others—want the Government to review the decision, that is what should happen.

Ms Katrina Hodgkinson: Milk drinkers?

Mr PAUL McLEAY: The member for Barwon said that people do not know how cows are milked, or even where milk comes from. If the member for Burrinjuck had been present for the debate she would understand my point.

Ms Katrina Hodgkinson: I've been watching the debate upstairs.

Mr PAUL McLEAY: My point is that many people do not know the details of the decision. We should have a review and not pre-empt its outcome by supporting the bill. The needs of the agricultural sector in New South Wales are changing. Today, agriculture is as much about the smart application of tools and technology as anything else. Our farmers and scientists are developing new, cutting-edge ways to farm more sustainably, as well as contributing to debates on land management, water conservation and climate change. Hurlstone Agricultural High School has played an important part in training young people to lead this work, and I hope that it will continue to do so. The Minister has already announced that part of the inquiry will be to investigate the current needs of the agricultural sector. It is appropriate that we ask the sector what skills it needs from graduates of our education system, especially graduates of specialised schools such as Hurlstone and other agricultural schools such as Yanco and Farrer.

At Hurlstone, agriculture is still an important impetus. The subject is compulsory until year 10, with a proportion of students continuing to study it to Higher School Certificate level. The school has more to offer than just academics. Students can develop skills in a wide range of sports, including rugby union, hockey and others, through a sporting zone and State knock-out championships in which the school participates. Other activities available to students include public speaking and debating, as well as the creative and performing arts through one of the school's art clubs, bands, vocal ensembles or drama groups. There is also an emphasis on school and community service through membership of the school's Interact Club and its involvement in several charity drives and environment improvement projects. The school's reputation creates strong competition for places, and current application rates remain high.

The Government is committed to ensuring that Hurlstone Agricultural High School's long and proud traditions of service and excellence are continued and maintained. The Government has said that Hurlstone Agricultural High School will maintain its status as a selective, agricultural high school with boarding facilities. The Government has said that up to a maximum of 140 hectares should be considered for sale, but that the amount of land to be retained at the school will depend on the needs of a modern agricultural high school and on the views of the school community and the surrounding community. Within these parameters there is scope for much to be done that could benefit the school.

If the inquiry finds, as the Department of Education and Training believes, that some of the 160 hectares on which Hurlstone Agricultural High School sits is not being used to the maximum benefit of students, the sale of even a small part of the land could provide substantial new resources for teachers and students at the school. It is now time for the inquiry to do its work and see whether that kind of trade is justified. It is time for this House to allow the inquiry to do its work, rather than closing off the possibility of any change at the site and burying our heads in the sand as to any evidence that may emerge. That is what the bill seeks to do.

Mr STEVE CANSDELL (Clarence) [5.01 p.m.]: I support the Hurlstone Agricultural High School Site Bill 2009. It brings a smile to my face to hear Labor Party members reveal their knowledge of agriculture, farming and the rural sector. One of them referred to dairy farmers as "milk drinkers". The member for East Hills spoke about alpaca goats! I thought that was very interesting.

Mr Alan Ashton: Point of order: There was a comma between "alpaca" and "goats". I was also under severe pressure at the time from the member for Clarence, who interjected continually during my speech.

ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Matthew Morris): Order! That is not a point of order.

Mr STEVE CANSDELL: It was interesting for me to visit Hurlstone Agricultural High School today together with the Leader of The Nationals, the shadow Minister for education and member for Murrumbidgee, the member for Barwon, the Member for Lismore and the Hon. Rick Colless. It was also great to meet the students there. It brought back memories. As a youngster I went to an orphanage at Molong that had yards very similar to those at Hurlstone. The orphanage had a piggery, laying hens, and a dairy. It was great to see the modern equipment that is used today. It was also great to see the keenness of the students. I am sure the people who work in dairies today are a lot keener than the dairy workers when I was a kid!

This is a serious issue. I know that some Government members also take it seriously and have real concerns about the Labor Party going ahead and flogging off the family farm or the family silver. The proposal is nothing more than a money grab in a disastrous mini-budget. It is by no means an outcome from an excellence-in-education forum. As I said, it is nothing more than trying to get some money by selling off the family farm—or, in this case, the State farm. If the sale goes ahead without proper consideration and concern not just for Hurlstone Agricultural High School but for the future of agriculture in New South Wales, sadly the only inquiry that Government members will face—I acknowledge that there are some good ones—is on 26 March 2011, two years from today.

As has already been said, each year we have a shortage of 800 qualified, skilled agricultural and rural workers in New South Wales—not Australia, just New South Wales. There are four agricultural schools in New South Wales, and Hurlstone is only one of two in Sydney. The other two agricultural high schools are Farrer, in Tamworth, and Yanco, in the Riverina. There is concern—and rightly so—that they may be next on the chopping block as far as the sale of land is concerned. Government members—not the local members who obviously have been to Hurlstone, but the members who have the gall to speak about something they know nothing about—should at least visit the school and look around. They should talk to the students, the teachers and the farm workers and ask them to explain what is there and why it is needed.

As has been said in this debate, the school has an Ayshire and Friesian dairy comprising around 40 head of cattle. But the school also has a breeding program through which it breeds dairy cattle for sale. It also has a bore goat breeding program, which has a big future because that is where the money is these days. These breeding programs not only enhance the education of students but also generate income for the school, which it can reinvest in much-needed equipment. The school also has a merino sheep breeding program. It has shearing sheds with two shearing bays in which the students learn to shear. The students also learn wool classing, a skill that is gradually dying out in the agricultural sector. Young people who want to become shearers or wool classers need to start somewhere, so getting that education at school is a bonus. It is not just a matter of leaving school and starting in the shearing sheds.

On our visit to the school I met a young lady named Emma, who is from either Orange or Griffith. It is compulsory to do agricultural studies between years 7 and 10. Emma is now in year 10. She is going to continue her agricultural studies through to years 11 and 12, and then she wants to go to university in Armidale to do an animal husbandry or cattle breeding degree. When Emma qualifies she will be able to contribute to agricultural pursuits and excellence in New South Wales.

This is a serious issue. There is no way in the world that an agricultural college can operate successfully on 40 hectares of land. It might be possible to run a strawberry farm on that amount of land, but it is not adequate to cater for laying hens, which generate produce not only for the school but to sell to the markets—which in turn raises money to help run the college. As I said, the school also has a piggery. It is used for student education but it also makes money for the school and ensures that it is partly self-sustainable. It also allows the school to buy extra equipment that normally it could not afford. The school also has a vegetable patch. It contains rows of nashi pears, and their cultivation is a real passion among the students. The students are taught about growing native trees as farm wind breaks, to help make their farms more environmentally sustainable, to achieve better productivity and to protect their crops.

Members who have been to country shows will know that there is always an emphasis on caged birds. The school also has a caged birds breeding program. Purebred poultry are bred in different ways to show the students what breeds are available and how they can be raised. The school has different areas for laying hens—in one area they might have 20 grams per whatever while the others have 22 grams—to highlight the different results that can be achieved. Slight differences in feeding—for example, heavier or better feeding with better quality protein—can produce much bigger hens. Such factors are important. It is possible to have batteries for chooks in a small area of under 40 hectares, but it is not possible to run breeding programs for beef cattle, dairy cattle, bore goats, and merino sheep, and at the same time grow sorghum and other crops for livestock feed.

When we inspected the dairy we saw a young girl in a school uniform. That girl gets up at 4 o'clock each morning and travels by train to school from East Hills to work in the dairy. Why she would want to be part of that I do not understand. It is like working in a corner store seven days a week. The girl loves the idea of working in the dairy; she has been doing it for 12 months and wants to continue in that field. That is an example of the passion of these kids. Of the 900 schoolchildren that attend Hurlstone each year, 200 are live-in borders from across country New South Wales. While the parents of the live-in boarders may not be voters in the area, all the parents are passionate about maintaining the grounds of the school.

The impediments to breaking up the area for housing have been mentioned. For instance, the high-voltage powerline through the top of the property has a 30-metre exclusion zone around it that needs to be maintained; a major sewer line from a new estate is connected to a holding tank that also has a protection zone; the gully runoff water—there was a trade-off years earlier for the subdivision—goes into two dams because there are no stormwater drains; and there is swamp area down the back. This is just a money grab following a disastrous mini-budget. This is a bad decision that will sell out western Sydney and compromise the future of agricultural education in New South Wales. The sale of the land will be an irreversible decision. More land cannot be purchased in the future to try to keep things going the way they are. The reduction of the farming land will hinder the ability of the school to provide quality agricultural education. These basic facts cannot be argued against. The object of the legislation is to ensure that the Hurlstone Agricultural High School remains in public ownership and to limit the use of the site to that of a government school.

We also visited Campbell House next door. Campbell House is a school for kids with special needs and behavioural problems. What a great place to have that school. There is room for the children to move, room to let their frustrations out and calm down, by getting back to nature, playing with animals whilst supervised, and observing the real things that happen in country New South Wales. The alternative is to stick them in a concrete block in inner Sydney where everyone screams and yells, cars go past, and they are stuck in a small, confined space. That prospect alone is an excellent reason to keep the school's farmland. An indigenous school is also around the corner. Cottages are located on the site for the parents of the live-in boarders to stay in when they come to visit. Three or four of these cottages have been converted into overnight or weekly accommodation with their own kitchens—

Ms Katrina Hodgkinson: Very practical.

Mr STEVE CANSDELL: My word it is practical. Some of those kids get homesick and miss their families. Mum and dad can stay and spend time with the children instead of visiting for a day and saying, "Here is a bag of lollies. See you later." The children can appreciate where they are and that their parents love them. This school has the heart to want to save that accommodation for parents to come and spend time with their kids. Thirty or forty hectares are not enough for an agricultural school. I support the bill. I am very disappointed by some of the comments of Government members. I am very disappointed that the Government would throw this up as a short-term fix for its fiscal incompetence and flog off this family farm to try to cover its backside.

Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong) [5.14 p.m.]: I have listened carefully to the debate. As someone who has been involved in education for 20 years, I have never heard so much scaremongering in all my life. According to the members opposite it is the end of agriculture in New South Wales, there is no other school in the State that offers agriculture, and they went on and on. But we are here today to talk about the fact that the hardworking member for Macquarie Fields has gone out and sought an inquiry to ensure the best possible outcome for the community. We all know that over time education changes and the Government is constantly reviewing the way business is done in schools. Sometimes change is difficult. Change management is extremely difficult but through change the Government does try to make things better. No-one is talking about closing the school.

Everyone recognises the school's long and valuable record. According to the Opposition all these great programs will no longer run and agriculture will no longer be done at the school. That is simply not true. In debates we need sensible discussion to achieve good outcomes. We do not need scaremongering about the end of the world as we know it. Communities are concerned about change but that does not mean issues should not be confronted from time to time. The inquiry will consider the relevant issues and an informed decision will be made based on the facts. Proceeds from the sale of school property are sometimes returned to a school to improve facilities, purchase equipment and increase the curriculum. I am sure the inquiry process will result in some of the land being sold off but the school as a whole being strengthened.

Whilst residential agricultural high schools have a long and proud history, many of the State's high schools run excellent agricultural programs. A school in Wyong has an agriculture program and in recent times won an award at the Easter show for cattle. The school breeds the cattle on limited land. The review will seek to achieve the best outcome for Hurlstone and at the end of the process school facilities and programs will be strengthened. Hurlstone has been through change over a long period. John Kinloch originally opened the school as a private establishment in 1878 but it quickly ran into financial problems. The Government then became involved with the land and buildings. It then became the Hurlstone Training College for female teachers. With the creation of a new teacher's college within the University of Sydney, the school was again redirected.

Hurlstone Agricultural Continuation School came into being in 1907. The establishment of an agricultural school in that period was deemed to be appropriate since it was believed that the future of Australia lay in agricultural development. The school was much smaller than it is today, comprising 11 hectares with buildings and classrooms. Over time additions were made to the school and changes were made in its method of operation. In 1926 the school moved from its old site at Summer Hill to its current site at Glenfield. Throughout that time the school's reputation and tradition have been strengthened, and other speakers have referred to that. We should not be under the misapprehension that the school's strong history will be wiped or will not continue to operate. That type of scaremongering is not fair on the community and it is not fair on the students and people involved with the school. We need sensible discussion about the best outcome.

I congratulate the member for Macquarie Fields, who was instrumental in the establishment of the inquiry. It would be difficult to find a member who has a better understanding of his local community than the member for Macquarie Fields. He has fought very hard on behalf of his community to ensure that the inquiry takes place. As members know, economic decisions can be difficult. The member for Macquarie Fields stood up for his community and got a good outcome. It may be that some of the land will be sold. The Government has set a maximum amount that can be sold. As I said, the inquiry will examine all the issues and look at the activities carried on at the school and will make a decision based on those facts.

As a school principal one of the hardest things I had to deal with was change of management. We fear change. As soon change is mentioned, we get an innate feeling of uncertainty. We do not know whether it will be good for us. We do know that change is necessary. It maintains vibrancy and ensures that people retain an interest. It renews old programs and introduces new ones. Schools are about improving educational outcomes for children at all levels. New South Wales schools have a good tradition in this regard. I believe that we lead the way in Australia. The figures show that we are one of the top performers in the world. That is because we continually renew and change. We are always looking at new programs, the operation of our schools and staffing.

We are seeing that currently in education. The Government is introducing vocational education and training [VET] programs because we recognise the skill shortage, which was helped by the former Howard Government. In New South Wales we are putting in place strong VET programs and trade schools to meet the deficit. We are training young people in a wide range of industries. That means a lot of change. Schools have had to look at their operations, timetabling, staffing and budget. In my electorate, Wyong High School has a strong, proud agricultural history. It is also a selective school in information technology. Next door the TAFE has a trade school. The school has been able to incorporate all those facilities, whilst maintaining its programs and improving the delivery of education to students across all levels.

We must let the inquiry do its work, take evidence and make a decision. By introducing this bill, the Opposition is not interested in examining the issues. It does not want to know about them. It is happy with the way things are and does not want to ever change. That is sticking your head in the sand. It is hard for people who are part of an organisation to understand the need for change. The issues are not always clear. But sticking your head in the sand is not in the best interest of students, teachers or the community. No matter the industry, people must look at change and the way an enterprise operates. Again, I congratulate the member for Macquarie Fields on ensuring the inquiry examines all the issues so that his community can be heard. Members should wait for the decision of the inquiry and then debate the merits. At the moment, it is far too early to tell.

Ms KATRINA HODGKINSON (Burrinjuck) [5.23 p.m.]: There is an old saying: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I speak to the Hurlstone Agricultural High School Site Bill 2009. I have listened with interest to Government members, who seem to have made up their minds that much of this site will be sold. They have established an inquiry to take the heat off local members who will be impacted by the sale. We have seen that all before. Some members, who do not necessarily have a direct relationship with an agricultural high school, make 160 hectares sound like a large space. It is not. I would argue that the area could easily be expanded, when one considers the activities undertaken by students at this agricultural high school. We heard the excellent presentation this evening by the member for Clarence. The school has breeding programs for domesticated animals, such as merino sheep, cattle, boer goats and poultry, and it teaches cropping skills. The school would not be able to undertake those programs in an area of 20 hectares, or even slightly more. It is insane to propose that so much of this land could be sold.

When I saw a copy of the Department of Education and Training memorandum on the Hurlstone Agricultural High School asset sales—which was released on Thursday 20 November 2008, a bit over a week after the announcement of the mini-budget—I nearly fell over. I could not believe that the Government actually contemplated selling off this land, which is so important to many students and families across New South Wales. The skills of agricultural enterprise have never been more complicated than they are now, particularly with eight years of drought. I recognise the Minister for Water, and Minister for Regional Development is in the chamber. He understands that students wanting to learn about agriculture and pursue careers in agriculture will have to be able to cope with all sorts of demands. As we face the impacts of climate change, they will need incredible skills and hands-on experience if they are going to make it into the future and continue to produce the goods for consumers in this State.

Some may believe it is okay to have our vegetables grown in China and cropping done overseas. It is not. This State has some of the best agricultural areas in the world. We also have some of the brightest minds coming through our system. We must do whatever we can to make sure our students get the best possible agricultural education available. They do now, at Hurlstone. We need every single one of those 160 hectares on that site. Not one hectare can be relinquished. I have received many strong representations on this issue from people who would not generally get involved in the political process. I have received many letters from constituents and former students. Prue Martin from Stoney Creek, Kenyo Road, Boorowa, wrote several letters. She was very disturbed at the proposed sale of this land. In February 2009 she wrote:

Surely the events in Victoria in the last few weeks and the world economic events would have highlighted the need for the urgent and effective environmental education of our children. Those of us from rural areas can't help but wonder how suburban politicians and planners think they can educate children growing up in suburban areas in these essential skills in a 6 hectare playground. And we can't help but wonder why they won't listen to those of us from rural areas who might actually know how it can be done.

Prue Martin wrote a series of letters like that. In a letter to the Minister for Primary Industries she said:

The School is in a very strategic location. It has the ability to educate and influence such a large number of children from the area in the key elements necessary for Australia's survival. It might not be making a profit but is this important or even worth mentioning in the argument for selling the land? The argument for the education of local children in Agriculture and sustainability is one that is hard to place a value on.

I also received a letter from Bruce and Narelle Nixon from "Clovelly" at Boorowa expressing their alarm about the proposed sale. They said, as did so many others:

Hurlstone is a 100 year old day, boarding, selective agricultural school with an excellent academic and agriculture reputation. It was Australia's first of its kind.

They wrote a very strong and emotional letter. They said:

We are very grateful to Hurlstone for the opportunities it offers our 3 children. The Labor Government has shown little priority in maintaining a high standard of public education during its time in government, especially in rural schools.

I have forwarded their very strongly worded letter to the Minister responsible. I also received a letter from Aleksandra Warianka from Glenfield, who is also a proud ex-Hurlstonian with very fond memories of her time at the school. She wrote a very strong letter in which she said:

Hurlstone is not just a selective school catering for the kids of western Sydney. It is a strong, well-respected, public agricultural boarding school with ties across NSW.

The boarding students in her year were from as far as Norfolk Island, Forbes, Narromine, Muswellbrook, Dubbo, Narooma, Narrabri and Gunnedah, not to mention ones from outlying farming properties who otherwise would have been attending the School of the Air. She writes:

Hurlstone is one of the last remaining institutional links between city and country life. It has a proud, patriotic and practical 100 year old agricultural history that the Government's decision puts at risk.

Pursuant to sessional orders business interrupted and set down as an order of the day for a future day.