Question Without Notice No. 398 asked in the Legislative Council on 16 May 2018 by Hon Donna Faragher
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
HERDSMAN LAKE WILDLIFE CENTRE
398. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Education and Training:
I refer to the decision to cut funding to the Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre and the Premier's letter to the Western Australian Gould League dated 6 February 2018, which, according to my notes, states —
This additional year of funding will allow time for the Gould League to explore alternative funding arrangements as appropriate, with assistance from the department.
(1) Since 13 December 2017, how many meetings have been held between the Department of Education and the WA Gould League?
(2) Of the meetings referred to in (1) —
(a) when and where was each meeting held; and
(b) who attended each meeting?
(3) What assistance has been provided by the department to the WA Gould League to explore alternative funding arrangements, as outlined in the Premier's letter?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Two meetings have been held. In addition, I met with representatives of the WA Gould League in my ministerial office on 16 April 2018.
Hon Donna Faragher: Yes. Sorry; I know that.
Hon SUE ELLERY: Good.
Hon Donna Faragher: You didn't offer much.
Hon SUE ELLERY: The answer continues —
(2) (a) The Department of Education met with the WA Gould League on 20 December 2017 at the Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre. The north metropolitan education region office attended a WA Gould League board meeting on 13 February 2018, held at the Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre.
(b) The 20 December 2017 meeting was attended by the acting director of teaching and learning, statewide services, who met with Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre staff. The acting regional executive director of the north metropolitan education region office met with the WA Gould League on 13 February 2018.
(3) To date, the Department of Education has assisted in the following ways: the director general of Education has contacted the director general of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions regarding opportunities for continued support in 2019 and beyond. DBCA has confirmed that the arrangement for the WA Gould League to lease the Herdsman Lake premises at a peppercorn rate will continue. The City of Stirling has been contacted and asked whether there would be any opportunity to support Herdsman Lake Wildlife Centre. It advised it was not in a position to assist. A meeting was held with Conservation Volunteers Australia on 23 April 2018. The regional manager stated that he would contact the WA Gould League to ascertain whether Conservation Volunteers Australia's Rio Tinto Earth Assist program could support the wildlife centre. The department is informing schools that classroom resources from the WA Gould League are still available, and their use in teaching programs is encouraged.