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.