EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr MICHAEL REGAN (Wakehurst) (12:02): My question is directed to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning. Will the Minister update the Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus parents, teachers and students, as well as the broader northern beaches community, about progress on delivering the new multipurpose sports hall at Cromer campus, announced in the 2024-25 State budget?

Ms PRUE CAR (Londonderry—Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning, and Minister for Western Sydney) (12:02): I thank the member for Wakehurst for that important question. After many years of being taken for granted, the community that the member represents is being well served by him as a strong local voice for that community. I pay tribute to the school community at the Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus, who made the case for this upgrade, alongside the member for Wakehurst. This school has been through quite a lot in the past. But under the principal, Justin Hong, it is well and truly hitting its stride. We are really proud of what is happening there. I particularly recognise the under-16s boys basketball team, who won this year's State championships.

For more than a decade, the school's calls for upgraded local facilities that the member referred to fell on deaf ears. But, under this local member, this Premier and this Labor Government, those calls have finally been heard. As part of our record education investment, the Cromer campus is receiving $1 million toward the new multi-sport facility. This will deliver critical planning work and set us up to deliver the upgrade. The member has been briefed on this work, making sure his community's voices are heard. I can confirm that site investigations are underway. We will soon be moving to the next stage, where architects and engineers will be appointed to develop concept designs. We share the member's ambition for this facility to serve the broader sporting community in the region. I can also advise that, later this year, the department will hold a briefing to update the school community on these plans.

I know that schools on the northern beaches are proud to have strong local voices advocating for them. When we came to office, the science labs at Killarney Heights High School were falling apart, to the point of being shut down. Upgrades were promised for Narrabeen North Public School in 2018 but still had not started five years on. Media reports described the facilities at Narrabeen Sports High School as being third-world. I think that, no matter our politics, we can all agree that that is unacceptable. Those communities were completely taken for granted. Following the advocacy of local Independents, like our own Michael Regan and Sophie Scamps, we are working hard to rebuild public education on the northern beaches.

It is hard for those opposite to hear this, but we are working hard because local members are advocating for their communities and schools to get the facilities they deserve. What a novel idea! [Extension of time]

We are proud to be delivering record funding for maintenance and local upgrades. We are fixing every last science lab at Killarney Heights High School. We have completed upgrades at Narrabeen North Public School, six months ahead of schedule. We will continue delivering millions in upgrades for Narrabeen Sports High School, and I have asked the department to work closely with the principal as additional works are planned and delivered. And we will be proudly improving the facilities at both Pittwater and Davidson high schools, including critical electrical upgrades. I pay tribute to the member and local Independents who have brought a breath of fresh air to the northern beaches, advocating for local upgrades. We cannot wait to work with local members in the future to deliver these upgrades on the northern beaches.

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26 September 2024.