Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this evening to talk about new beginnings. In particular I want to talk about new beginnings in two schools that I have visited recently. Both of those schools have long histories. For almost 100 years they have provided educational opportunities in areas of need and especially to those dispossessed. I speak specifically about the Catholic Agricultural College in Bindoon and Clontarf Aboriginal College in Waterford.

The colleges are the work of the Christian Brothers, an order founded by Edmund Rice in 1802. The overarching values of the order are of compassion, trust, respect, acceptance, self-belief and belief in the common good. The brothers arrived in Perth just prior to Federation and founded their first community in St Georges Terrace in the mid-1890s. By the turn of the century, they had established the property now known as Clontarf Aboriginal College in Waterford and the Christian Brothers College in Fre­mantle. The Catholic Agricultural College dates back to the mid-1930s. Both the agricultural college and Clontarf housed and educated boys. Some were orphans, some were state wards. They were children from disadvantaged families and from local farming communities, and some—indeed, many—were migrants. All were in need.

Originally the agricultural college was known as Bindoon Boys' Town while Clontarf was known as St Joseph's Boys Orphanage. By the 1960s the agricultural college had become a boarding school for boys interested in agriculture. Many, of course, were from farming families. Clontarf became home to the Sisters of Mercy, who introduced junior secondary courses for day students. Since 1986, Clontarf has been a co-educational Aboriginal college. In1995, the Bindoon property had evolved into the Catholic Agricultural College. This college is also co-educational and provides a broad based education for students in years 7 to 10. Vocational training in agriculture and related industries are available for students in years 11 and 12. However, in the intervening years buildings at both colleges had fallen into disrepair.

We now need to fast forward to 2007. In that year Labor promised an education revolution, and the results of our investments are there for all to see. In my visit to Clontarf in 2009, work had commenced on repairs to classrooms. Windows were replaced, ensur­ing the rooms were weatherproof. In 2011, the college completed a new multi­purpose undercover area and the surrounding court­yards were upgraded. It is a perfect spot to watch a game of footy with the banks of the Canning River as a backdrop. Changes to the college are continuing with the construction of an 80-bed student hostel which I am told will be ready for 2012. Also under construction is a trades training centre which will offer certificate I and II qualifications in construction, horticulture and engineering.

To date Clontarf has received BER funding of over $1 million. A further $2.2 million has been contributed towards the construction of the student hostel. This is over $3.3 million in funding for the trades training centre. It is the wish of the school board as well as Catholic Education in Western Australia that the college will soon be returned to its traditional owners.

At the agricultural college in Bindoon the story is similar. Significant work has been completed to what was known as the Technical Block. Originally the Technical Block took four years to build. It was officially opened by the Premier of Western Australia, the Hon. Albert Hawke, in 1953. Eight thousand people attended the cere­mony that day. While some remedial work was undertaken on this building in the late 1990s, sadly, much of it was unusable. In May last year I was asked to officiate at the opening of the college's trades training centre. It is located on the ground floor of the Technical Block and was named in honour of Br Norman Tuppin. Under the Trade Training Centres in Schools program the college was able to renovate and construct this new workshop. It delivers certificate courses that directly address skill shortages in areas such as metal fabrication, carpentry and pressure welding. This facility will not only provide industry relevant training; it will properly prepare students to be the highly skilled workforce of tomorrow.

Last week I had the privilege of officially opening the remaining rooms of the old Technology Block. The new science and learning centre fills the remainder of the building and is named in honour of Br Frank Donohoe. It contains a state-of-the-art science facility. In all there are two labs, two classrooms, an animal laboratory and a preparation area for equine studies. There are also new staff offices. The centre supports the work of students in gaining qualifications in agriculture with an emphasis on animal husbandry and plant production. In fact, the old block has come to life. All up, the Gillard government has contributed $1.5 million for the trades training centre and a further $2.1 million through the BER program for these new facilities. I say it has been money well spent. Under the National Secondary School Computer Fund, the agricultural college has received and installed 17 new computers. Clontarf has received and installed 29. I am advised the ratio of one computer to each student will be met by the end of this year.

The Gillard government has invested around $65 billion in education in the last four years. That means we have doubled our funding for education. There is no, I think it is agreed, better place to invest government funding than in school education and it has long overdue. Every school in Australia is part of this investment. It has reached into every aspect of education from kindergarten, through pre-primary to academic streams and vocational training. It is a deliberate and carefully designed policy. Our goal was to make school infrastructure better. The libraries and classrooms, the playgrounds and halls, trade training centres and computers are part of that process.

It is important of course that we move with the times. Schools have to prepare students for study and for work and for life. They also need to be flexible enough to integrate work and study options for older students. Long-term prosperity of the nation, our productivity and the civil society which underpins it is based on the importance we attach to education. All schools, whether public, Catholic or independent have one thing in common: the BER has breathed new life into them, and allowed others to expand to meet rising demand. It has been universally applauded by principals, teachers and school communities, but of course the real benefit will be felt by our children and our children's children.

Senate adjourned at 19:16