Answers to Qon Education Aboriginal Affairs
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QUESTIONS TAKEN ON NOTICE DURING BUDGET ESTIMATES HEARING GENERAL PURPOSE STANDING COMMITTEE NO 1 3 SEPTEMBER 2003 QUESTION 1: Mrs Forsythe asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - Can you advise how many of the Aboriginal Land Councils currently have administrators appointed and the dates of their appointments? (Hansard page 3) ANSWER: This information is contained in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs Annual Report. QUESTION 2: Ms Cusack asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - Can you advise how much has been paid in administrative fees by Aboriginal Land Councils in each of the last two years, and how much is anticipated to be paid in the next 12 months? (Hansard page 3) ANSWER: The NSW Aboriginal Land Council has responsibility for the payment of administrators’ fees. QUESTION 3: Ms Cusack asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - Can you advise how many of the Aboriginal Land Councils which have receivers appointed have initiated legal proceedings for recovery of funds or legal fees by each individual council? (Hansard page 3) ANSWER: No receivers are appointed to Aboriginal Land Councils. QUESTION 4 Ms Rhiannon asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - With regard to private schools who receive subsidies on their interest payments: a) How does the Department check or audit that the money is spent on activities that have been agreed to? b) Will the Department release reports which result from these checks? (Hansard page 9) ANSWER: An application for subsidy must be filed with the Department within one year of the date of signing of the contract or when there is no building contract (small project), within one year from the date on which any construction commenced, for which payment is due, evidenced by a statement from the builder. The application includes the cost of the project. Most projects are completed within the 12 month period and therefore applications are generally received after the completion of the project. All applications are accompanied by: (a) floor and site plans; (b) copy of financial section of the building contract and a certification from the lending authority outlining the details of the loan; (c) copy of relevant Municipal/Shire Council development building approval; (d) itemised schedule of the nature, cost and supplier of ground improvement; and (e) itemised schedule of professional fees. Any variation to the initial contract is itemised and notified to the Department by the school, with the application. As variations will change the value of the project application, the variation to the initial contract (price and specifications) documentation, provided with an application, ensures the Department is aware of modifications to building plans. QUESTION 5 Ms Cusack asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - (a) When will funds be allocated for the construction of a proper entry to Beauty Point School? (b) When will a Government contribution of $50,000 towards building the new school hall be made? (Hansard page 14) ANSWER: (a) Funding to construct a concrete ram and footpath will be considered in the context of future capital works priorities. (b) Announcements will be made later this year on projects to be included in the 2003/04 Joint Funding Program. QUESTION 6 Ms Cusack asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - In relation to the Department’s review of Tamworth West Public School that is currently underway: (a) What would be the cost of replacing the school on the existing site? (b) What would be the cost of building a new school on the green field site that is already owned by the Department? (Hansard page 17) ANSWER: (a) Estimates of the cost to replace Tamworth West Public School on its existing site will be sought after the completion of a facilities review. (b) The estimated cost of building a new primary school on a Department of Education and Training green field site is in the order of $6.5 million. QUESTION 7 Mrs Forsythe asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - In relation to the Seaforth TAFE site: (a) Has the Department made any decision about the future of the Seaforth TAFE site which has now been empty for four years? (b) Is it satisfactory that the site should sit there unutilised for a period of almost four years? (Hansard page 18) ANSWER: No decision has been made at this time on the future of the Seaforth TAFE site. QUESTION 8 Ms Cusack asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - In relation to the Back-To-School allowance: (a) What was the cost of posting out the Back-To-School Allowance to parents in 2003? (b) For 2003, whose decision was it to send out the allowance with a letter signed by Mr Dixon and also a covering letter from the Premier with his photo on it? (Hansard page 18) (c) What was the precise date by which the Government wanted the cheques distributed? (d) Was this date prior to the issue of the writs for the 2003 election? (Hansard page 19) ANSWER: (a) $340,000. (b) This initiative was introduced in 1998 and letters are normally sent to parents with the cheque. (c - d) Since the introduction of the Back-to-School Allowance scheme in 1998, the distribution of cheques to families has commenced in mid January of each year. This timeframe is an established administrative procedure and was not varied for the payment of the 2003 allowance. In 2003, the first cheques were distributed on schedule on 13 January 2003. QUESTION 9 Mrs Forsythe asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - What are the initiatives identified in the budget papers regarding students with disruptive behaviours? (Hansard page 25) ANSWER: An amount of $56.4 million is being allocated over the next four years to provide a wide range of placement and support options for students with disruptive behaviour. These funds support the following initiatives: · Establishment of 11 new special schools and 17 new tutorial centres for students with severe behaviour difficulties. · Provision of an additional 22 teachers’ aide (special) positions to assist teachers to implement programs for students with disruptive behaviour bringing the total number to 62. · Establishment of an additional 19 district guidance officer positions to increase counselling support for students with behaviour difficulties. · Establishment of an additional 24 specialist behaviour teacher positions to assist schools to manage difficult students. · Provision of annual funding to support programs for students who are at risk of not making a successful transition from primary to high school. · Provision of annual funding to districts to implement mentoring programs for vulnerable young people. · Provision to districts of a full-time student welfare consultant to provide support to schools. · Training of student welfare consultants in each district to support schools at the local level in implementing anti-bullying initiatives. · Establishment by 2007 of 20 new suspension centres. QUESTION 10 Mrs Forsythe asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - (a) How many home school liaison officers are employed by the Department of Education and Training? (b) What is the home school liaison officer student ratio in primary and secondary schools? (Hansard page 25) ANSWER: (a)-(b) The ratio of home school liaison officers to students varies between education districts, as these officers are allocated to areas on the basis of average daily absence rates, not on the number of students. This ensures that districts with a higher need for support have a greater number of officers. QUESTION 11 Mrs Forsythe asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP - Has any longitudinal study been undertaken on students who have been taken out of their normal schools and have been attending suspension centres as to their long-term position back in their normal schools? (Hansard page 26) ANSWER: Eleven new behaviour schools provide students with a high level of support to increase their literacy, numeracy and social skills. They also provide secondary students with vocational preparation and assist them in their transition to their next environment. This could result in a return to a regular school setting, further education including TAFE or community-based programs, or placement into the workforce. Student progress and outcomes are regularly reviewed and monitored. QUESTION 12 Mrs Forsythe asked the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge MP – In relation to contractors employed by the Department of Education and Training and TAFE in information technology: (a) How many of these contractors earn more than $150,000 per year? (b) How many of these contractors have been engaged by TAFE or the Department of Education and Training for more than five years? (c) What has been their individual cost over the period of their employment? (d) How much money did the Department spend on courses for these contractors last year? (e) How many new department recruits in the band Senior Officer 3, Senior Officer 2 and Senior Officer 1 have replaced a contractor? (f) How many contractors are employed by the Department or TAFE in areas other than IT? ANSWER: (a) – (f) The Department employs specialist contractors in the information technology directorate on an as needs basis .