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Mr MIKE BAIRD (Manly) [5.15 p.m.]: Today I refer to education and, in particular, to Manly Vale Public School. As the father of three young children I have developed a real interest in education over the past few years. My first priority as the member for Manly was to visit every school in the electorate. Throughout that process I was overwhelmed by the immense need for, and the lack of, basic facilities in many of our local schools. I was impressed by the quality of the teachers, the principals and the school communities but I was alarmed by the lack of services in those schools. In my view Manly Vale Public School has the greatest need for the delivery of services. Some schools have projects of significant merit but Manly Vale Public School has a whole-of-school requirement for services.
Many Vale Public School has been campaigning for funds for more than 15 years. It is not looking for an improvement to its facilities; it is looking simply for the provision of facilities to meet basic standards. The school's library and technology room, which is small, cramped and dark, falls well below the minimum standards set by the Department of Education and Training. The playground has been built on such a slope that children playing handball are almost forced to take hold to maintain their balance. Classrooms are more than 50 years old and the demountable administration block, which was constructed 17 years ago, has no ventilation or air conditioning. The sick bay, which is just a storage room, contains two chairs that might be found at the edge of a swimming pool. Those lounging chairs, which are piled between boxes, are used as beds for sick children, which is unacceptable.
Those statements are not an exaggeration but plain statements of fact. Using any criterion, conditions at that school are no longer acceptable. This Friday the school will submit its application for a grant through the Iemma Government's major capital works program. With my private sector background I am accustomed to prioritising funding, but for the life of me I cannot understand how this Government prioritises its public funds. I am doing my bit in the Manly electorate to make it easy for the Department of Education and Training. Put simply, Many Vale Public School is a school with the greatest need. When the Government prioritises its public funds it should take into account, first, the needs of Manly Vale Public School and, second, the needs of many other public schools.
Manly Vale Public School has been on the Government's priority list for more than two years but over the past 14 to 17 years it has received no funding for many projects. Over the past five years my predecessor fought to no avail to obtain funding for this school. Schools across this State are facing a systemic problem. The Auditor-General's financial audit, which was released this month, established that the money spent on New South Wales schools is below the national average and that schools in New South Wales receive the second lowest funding allocation. No matter what parameters are established at a national level New South Wales always appears to be at the bottom. When this Government prioritises its public funds schools deserve to be put at the top of the list.
Manly Vale Public School, which is located near Manly Dam in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, is united in its vision for environmental excellence and it has been recognised for its commitment to the environment. Environmental excellence should form part of the curriculum for schools across New South Wales so that students understand and experience first hand the impact of things such as climate change. This is an opportunity for Manly Vale Public School to embrace such a vision. The school is united. Students have highlighted many conditions to the Minister for Education and Training. Just before I entered this Chamber I delivered to the Minister my plea for funding in his review of capital grants. One parent, Shevaun Bruun, has written to me, the shadow Minister, and the Minister for Education and Training. She said:
The conditions in the sick bay are appalling. There is no air conditioning, the only accessible toilets and washbasin are the school staff toilets, there is no visibility by the administration staff and due to the lack of school storage space this area is used as a storage area.
The State Coalition is committed to investment in our schools. One of the first policy announcements by the Leader of the Opposition was that the Coalition would support the sale of the retail aspect of the electricity industry and invest those funds in public school infrastructure. That is the sort of commitment we are looking for. The Iemma Government should have adopted the idea of the Leader of the Opposition. Manly Vale school is growing, and until the Government delivers these funds the school will suffer. I call on the Minister for Education and Training to listen to this plea.
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