Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for Education and Minister for Social Inclusion. I refer the minister to her answer yesterday in which she indicated that Evesham State School, the one-student school that received a $250,000 grant under the Primary Schools for the 21st Century program, was in discussions with a view to amalgamation with other schools. According to the press, this appears to be news to the acting principal, who is also the sole teacher. At the time of answering this question yesterday, what discussions had the minister herself, her department or her office had with the one teacher, one student or one caregiver of the student at Evesham State School?

Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Very careful!

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

I thank the shadow minister for his question. Of course, his question, like the first question by the Leader of the Opposition, relates to the government’s nation-building plan for recovery, to our support for jobs during the worst global recession in 75 years and to the biggest school modernisation program this nation has ever seen. I note the continued opposition of the Liberal Party to the more than 24,000 projects in around 9,500 schools that are being delivered through this program in order to support jobs today, during the worst global recession in 75 years, whilst engaging in the biggest school modernisation program the nation has ever seen. I say to the shadow minister: the shadow minister would be aware that the Building the Education Revolution program works through education authorities. It works through the Catholic education authority, and I thank them for their efforts in delivering this program to schools.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: the question did not go to a recitation of the guidelines for Building the Education Revolution. It went specifically to what discussions she, her office or her department had with the Evesham State School about amalgamation. I would ask her to answer that question.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Sturt will resume his seat. The Deputy Prime Minister will respond to the question.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Of course, the reason I was going to the question of education authorities is that—although the shadow minister for education may not fully appreciate this—the Commonwealth government does not own or operate schools. What the Commonwealth government does—a fact that has clearly escaped his attention in the time that he has been shadow education minister—is to deal with education authorities. We deal with the Catholic education authority for the Catholic sector, we deal with independent education authorities for independent schools and we deal with state and territory government education authorities for state schools. Of course, the Evesham State School is operated by the Queensland Department of Education and Training on behalf of the Queensland government. Consequently, all discussions about amalgamations of this school—or indeed any other school, whether it is in the state system, the Catholic system or the independent system—would be conducted by those relevant education authorities.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So why did you say that yesterday?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Sturt has asked his question.

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

As I am advised by the Queensland Department of Education and Training, the Evesham State School is located in the Central West Education District. It was opened in 1967. The nearest schools are the Longreach State School, some 72 kilometres away; the Muttaburra State School, 118 kilometres away; and the Winton State School, 124 kilometres away. So they are at quite some distance.

Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Laming interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Bowman is warned!

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to 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.