14/12/04
Education and Training Minister Alan Carpenter says he is astounded by the rejection by Bunbury Mayor John Castrilli and the State Liberal Party of the Gallop Government's plan to build Bunbury's $14million Manea College.
Mr Carpenter said the Mayor and the State Liberal Party were sticking by their ill-conceived policy for Bunbury released last month, which was outdated, only partly funded and made no mention of a senior technical college.
Manea College, to be named after the well-known former Mayor of Bunbury, Dr Ernie Manea, was announced as part of the Gallop Government's $51million Bunbury Education and Training Package last week.
"The Gallop Government will deliver the much-needed Manea College for Bunbury, a Barnett government will not - that is the bottom line," Mr Carpenter said.
"Mayor Castrilli is letting down the Bunbury community.
"If he had done what Bunbury MLA Tony Dean had and attended the school leaving age forums we held in Bunbury this year, he would know that the local community wants a senior college to provide the relevance, flexibility and options that are not available in more traditional high schools.
"The Liberals' policy for Bunbury gives no hope for the future and portrays no understanding of what is needed to prepare young people for the modern economy."
Mr Carpenter said Manea College was the centrepiece of the Gallop Government's $51million Bunbury education and training plan and would be a senior technical college built on the same site as the South West Regional College of TAFE.
"Manea College will not be a traditional TEE school, but will focus on career-orientated and work-based courses of study," he said.
"It will cater particularly for Years 11 and 12 students who want to pursue vocation-based courses of study such as business administration and management, mining and engineering, health and community services and construction and building.
"The three existing senior high schools in Bunbury - Newton Moore, Bunbury and Australind are currently developing their own areas of specialty in which they can become centres of excellence.
"They will retain their existing status, including Years 11 and 12 TEE students, which is in contrast to Opposition Leader, Colin Barnett's previous 'super school' plan.
"Neither Mayor Castrilli nor the State Liberal Party are looking to the future of education and training for Bunbury.
"By rejecting the Gallop Government's Bunbury plan, the Mayor has effectively rejected our plan to raise the school leaving age to 16 by 2006 and 17 by 2008, despite not only the people of Bunbury but the Western Australian community as a whole giving the leaving age plan strong support."
Minister's office: 9213 6800
