Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The Queensland department advises me that the sudden drop in enrolments was unpredicted and related to a set of personal circumstances relating to families at that school. The Queensland department commenced formal consultation on the viability of the school, so those consultation arrangements are obviously in train. The Queensland department advises me that obviously they are concerned about this circumstance but they want to work through it with the community, particularly in circumstances where this drop in enrolments was not predicted. So those things are being managed by the Queensland department of education, as is appropriate, on behalf of the Queensland government. If a similar circumstance arose in the Catholic sector, it would be managed by the relevant Catholic education authority. If it arose in the independent sector, it would be managed by the independent education authority. When we set up the Building the Education Revolution program, we were obviously aware that schools do close and amalgamate, so the guidelines and arrangements for Building the Education Revolution can cater for such a circumstance and have catered for such a circumstance around the nation.

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