VICHANSARD
(Daily Hansard - Proof Version Only)

Ms DELAHUNTY -- Thank you, Acting Speaker. We are testing in year 7, and the testing has been completed; it was done in August. It is providing us with some very revealing data about some improvements that need to be made in year 7, particularly in literacy.

The honourable member for Richmond -- that great warrior for public education -- raised a matter concerning the continuing process of reopening the Fitzroy Secondary College. The honourable member for Richmond is absolutely right; what a stunning day it was a couple of Sundays ago when, on behalf of the Brack's government, on behalf of the great believers in public education, I handed back the keys to the Fitzroy Secondary College. It was very pleasing, because these parents had literally laid their bodies on the line. They impeded the bulldozers and they stopped the privatisation of our public schools under the Kennett agenda -- and some of the ministers are sitting here today, and they are very, very embarrassed; some of those opposition members who were ministers in that government should be ashamed of the 380 schools they closed.

I recall as a journalist on the 7.30 Report presenting stories about the fine believers in public education who day and night refused to leave that site.

Unlike so many of the inner suburban sites that were closed by the Kennett government, they refused to let that land be sold off. Thus the land was kept for public education. As a result of some hard work by the honourable member for Richmond and others -- the former Minister for Education, Barry Pullen, in particular, who led a very inspired panel of locals -- the need for a secondary college in the inner suburbs was examined.

The plan is to open for year 7 in 2003. But this is a very ambitious time line, as there has to be some renovation of that school -- for example, it has to be cabled for computers. It has not been a school for 10 years, and schools have moved on. But to facilitate that I am delighted to a nnounce today that a planning committee will be formed and that the architect for the site will be appointed in the next two weeks. I have specifically requested that the regional director include on that planning committee community representatives including Antony McPhee, David Brant and Claire Hargreaves, who were part of that broad group that fought so hard to reopen the school. It will also include parents, principals from the other local secondary colleges, local government and a representative of the universities.

As the honourable member for Richmond has said, it is true that this decision has been widely applauded, not only for the people of Fitzroy but for those right across the state whose communities' hearts were broken when 380 schools were so cruelly and callously closed under the Kennett government. Of course the only person who did not applaud it was the shadow minister, and he has been yabbering away over there this evening.

Mr Pandazopoulos interjected.

Ms DELAHUNTY -- That is right, he does not want any school opened; he wants to see them closed. He is obviously quite unaware -- I do not know whether he was asleep or it was his self-righteousness -- because today in question time he ignored the fact that we are not only reopening a school, F itzroy Secondary College, but we are also building new schools in the growth corridors.

The government is looking after the inner suburbs because the students in those suburbs have a right to public education. It is also building new schools in the growth corridors and in regional Victoria. The government is building 13 new schools and 3 replacement schools.

The honourable member for Warrandyte referred to the number of schools in Berwick. How many schools does the government have to build in Berwick? When will the honourable member get his facts right?

On Monday the government announced the names of four new p rincipals for four new schools in the south-eastern growth corridor. For heaven sake, keep up with it Phil! The schools are Cranbourne Special School, Berwick Secondary School, Narre Warren South Primary School and Aspendale Gardens P rimary School, which is just the beginning of the Brack's government's reinvestment in public education.

School Opening Press Release

FROM THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION

Letter from the Minister's Office

Mr Telmo Languiller, MP
Member for Sunshine
Shop 1, Sunshine Plaza
Hampshire Road
SUNSHINE  3020

Dear Mr Languiller,

Thank you for your letter making representations on behalf of local parents concerning the implementation phase of the re-development of Fitzroy Secondary College.

I am advised that the Minister has responded favourably to the report by the Site Review Panel and the School will be reopened.  The overall nature of its use and a timeline, however, is still being considered.

Yours sincerely

JUSTIN MADDEN MLC
A/Minister for Education

Minister's response to Review Panel's Report

Dear Barry,

I welcomed our recent meeting on the outcomes of the Review Panel established to consider the future use of the Fitzroy Secondary College Site.  The report was most comprehensive.  I would like to formally thank you for chairing the review panel and ask you to pass on my appreciation to the members of the panel for their generous and insightful contributions.

In the near future I would like to invite the review panel to an afternoon tea to personally thank them for their work.

I was pleased to see that apart from the establishment of a 7-12 school there was near unanimous community support for the directions proposed.  I note that Collingwood Secondary College in particular have opposed the establishment of a school on the site.

The focus on innovations and teacher training supports the Government’s commitment to the teaching profession and innovative ways of improving teaching and learning.  It also provides a further focus for the outcomes of the Middle Years Research and Development Project (MYRAD).

The review panel has recognised the value of a network of schools working together in the collective interests of the students in the area.  I consider this a key to building on the quality of our education programs and ensuring that the resources we provide are always directed to improving student outcomes.

In the specific area of vocational education and training, networks offer many opportunities for improving the range of options available to students in the area.

I note the review panel has provided a case for the establishment of a 7-10 school on the site, particularly as a component of a teacher training demonstration program, I do not believe that a convincing case has been established at this stage for a VCE component.  Any consideration of a year 11 & 12 component would depend upon the vast majority of the school cohort at year 10 moving onto year 11 and sufficient numbers at years 11 and 12 to enable a breadth of study to be offered in the VCE program.

With this qualification I do not have an objection to the proposal in principle, however I would need to consider whether the location of the VIT and teacher training demonstration program would add more value at Collingwood Secondary College rather that at the proposed Fitzroy site.

I have requested the Department to report to me as soon as possible on the phased implementation of these proposals and the estimate of costs.  On that basis and in the overall context of the Budget and Economic Review Committee processes I will seek detailed advice on:

• The location of the Victorian Institute for Teaching

• The establishment of a demonstration teacher-training program in collaboration with teacher training institutes.

• The location of a centre for excellence and innovation with a particular focus on the MYRAD Project.

• The effective operation of an area cluster of schools.

• The implementation of vocational education and training options, including liaison with the Local Learning Area Network, in the area cluster of schools.

• The commencement of a Year 7 intake of students at the Fitzroy site.

• Management and governance of the Fitzroy site.

I intend to issue a press release on this basis and make available the report of the Review Panel and my response on the Department website.  You may wish to make available additional copies of your report, which could be distributed with my response to those closely involved in the development of the report of the Review Panel.  Please let my office know the number of copies you require if you want to proceed in this way.

Can I once again congratulate you, the Panel and the community on the thoughtful and exciting proposal for the use of the Fitzroy Secondary College site.