Parliamentary Questions

CAMP SCHOOLS — CLOSURE

249. Hon COLIN HOLT to the Minister for Education and Training:

I refer to the minister's answer to question without notice 141, asked in the Legislative Council on 22 March 2018, in relation to camp school funding.

(1) Can the minister outline how the operating deficits were calculated?

(2) Do these figures include the salary and cash flow in, and the returned revenue from, for each camp school?

(3) Do the figures in the table also include camp project programs?

(4) If yes to (3), how were the 2017 operating deficits calculated?

(5) What is the operating cost for each of the seven camp schools for the last five years?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) The operating deficit reflects the difference between the total expenditure of the camp schools, excluding expenditure incurred centrally, and locally raised revenue such as fees.

(2) The calculation includes salary costs within the camp school's total expenditure, and the income generated by the camp school is reflected in the calculation under locally raised revenue. However, the calculation excludes the payment of revenue remitted back to the Department of Education, funding to camp schools from the department, the transfer of funding between schools and the transfer of funds to reserves. Expenditure incurred centrally by the department on behalf of the camp schools has also been excluded, and this includes depreciation costs.

(3) The department is unaware of what is meant by ''camp project'' programs.

(4) Not applicable.

(5) This answer is in tabular form and I seek leave to have it incorporated into Hansard.

Leave granted.