Parliamentary question without notice | Marryatville High School Library
29/07/2015
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Education and Child Development questions regarding the Marryatville High School library and the Public Works Committee.
Leave granted.
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: The 445th report of the Public Works Committee was tabled on 17 May 2012. It concerned the redevelopment of the Marryatville High School library and clearly states that the library was to be refurbished. The site plans presented to the committee showed a library, referred to as a research hub, in the same location as the then existing library. My questions to the minister are:
1. When did the plans for the Marryatville High School library change and who authorised the changes?
2. Were progress reports made to the Public Works Committee to inform on the project’s progress and, if not, why not?
3. Were variations of significance fully explained to the committee and, if not, why not?
The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change): I thank the honourable member for her most important question on the subject of the Marryatville High School library. I undertake to take that question to the Minister for Education and Child Development in another place and bring back a response on her behalf.
In reply to the Hon. K.L. VINCENT (24 February 2015).
1. The Marryatville High School Redevelopment Project was part of the South Australian Government’s election commitment in 2010-11 to expand four State high schools. The redevelopment included the construction of the new 21st Century Learning Centre, the refurbishment of Buildings 1 and 7 and extensive landscaping and civil works.
As articulated in the Final Report for the Marryatville High School Redevelopment tabled in 2012, the library area on the first floor of Building 7 has been refurbished to consolidate student services functions and incorporate a general learning area, and provide flexible collaborative learning spaces which have been provided on the second floor of Building 7.
The conceptual drawings included in the Public Works Report indicated a ‘learning common/resource hub’ space in the location of the previous existing library in Building 7. Following further development of the design during 2013, the redevelopment works focused on the incorporation of ‘learning common/resource hub’ spaces predominantly within the new 21st Century Learning Centre to support resource-based learning.
The design of the floor plans for Building 7 and the new 21st Century Learning Centre was developed through extensive consultation with the principal, members of the senior leadership team, key staff and architect.
The final design of the floor plan for Building 7 was endorsed by the school in September 2013.
The design intent of the redevelopment was to provide education al facilities in line with 21 st Century L earning in a variety of stimulating environments rather than the traditional approach. The final design provides a wide range of collaborative and informal areas with the opportunity for interactive learning in a resource-rich environment.
2. As a requirement of reporting to the Public Works Committee, the Department for Education and Child Development provided quarterly reports to the committee on the construction progress of the Marryatville High School Redevelopment project.
3. The Public Works Committee considers variations of significance to be a variation in the budget, expected completion date, scope, or any other significant aspect of the project. As reported to the Public Works Committee in the quarterly reports, DECD considers there were no variations of significance during the redevelopment.
