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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 940 asked in the Legislative Council on 16 September 2020 by Hon Donna Faragher

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

AGRICULTURE — PRIMED PROJECT

940. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:

I refer to the answer given to question without notice 875, asked on 9 September 2020, regarding the PRIMED project.

(1) How many new positions, by headcount and full-time equivalent, have been created to support this project?

(2) Of the positions referred to in (1), how many have been created to —

(a) provide project management support and industry and technical advice for the project;

(b) support curriculum teacher professional development; lead teacher professional learning programs and resource development; and training and workforce development; and

(c) support the project steering committee and the provision of industry feedback and advice to inform the development of resources?

(3) Will the minister list the agency's operational expenses?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

I thank the member for the question.

I am sure the member appreciates that this project is the first time that the relevant government agencies have worked together with industry to promote careers in primary industries to students.

Hon Donna Faragher interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Order, member!

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: We are doing our best.

Hon Donna Faragher interjected.

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: I will tell the member what we are doing. That is the substance of the answer.

Hon Donna Faragher interjected.

The PRESIDENT: I would actually like to hear the answer, member.

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: I think if the member looked at the stunning turnaround at Muresk, she would have to say that we are doing a lot for agricultural education in this state. I think it has about 3 000 students in a place that had become a virtual morgue under the previous government.

Several members interjected.

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: We will get back to the PRIMED project.

(1) The project is resourced through a mix of new and existing FTEs. The following new positions have been created to support the project: for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 1.75 FTEs but three actual persons, and for the Department of Education, two FTEs but five actual persons.

(2) Of the new positions referred to in part (1), the DPIRD FTEs provide project management support, input to curriculum writing, support to the project steering committee and industry feedback and advice to inform the development of resources. Industry and technical advice for the project is provided by a wide range of DPIRD officers as and when required. DOE fixed-term positions have been created to develop teaching and learning resources used as part of the teacher professional learning program. Training and workforce development is not a function of PRIMED.

(3) Operational expenses included in the PRIMED five-year budget are projected expenses across the three agencies and not actuals. They therefore cannot be listed. The projected operational expenses are anticipated to include catering and travel expenses for steering committee meetings; staff travel expenses to attend education, careers and industry events, which is very important if people are promoting the careers; promotional and marketing materials for use at education, careers and industry events; and ad hoc expenses related to the delivery of the PRIMED project.