The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (11:44): I also rise in support of the motion. It is my absolute pleasure to speak on the $52 million upgrade that is currently underway at Norwood Morialta High School. As part of the Marshall Liberal government's $1.3 billion education capital works program, the $52 million upgrade will increase the capacity of the campus on The Parade to 1,700 students, allowing all year levels to be on the same site.
The upgrade will also deliver a three-storey middle school building with a rooftop play space; a two-storey building for the school's technical and specialist precinct; a refurbishment and extension of the gym, as well as a new facade at the entry which is currently taking shape; landscaping; car parks; and sports courts. These new contemporary facilities will enhance flexibility in the use of spaces but will also continue to promote world-class learning facilities and experiences whilst maintaining the distinct middle and senior schooling principles.
It is no secret that there has been growing demand on schools in the eastern suburbs for some time because it is such a wonderful place to reside. It is extremely popular. This upgrade, which so many people from the school community and the broader community are excited about, is a critical part of increasing the enrolment capacity in the area. Whenever I attend the governing council school meetings for the Norwood Morialta High School, parents and teachers simply cannot hide their excitement for this particular upgrade.
It is difficult when speaking about the upgrade to convey just how big a project it is but, when you drive up or down The Parade and you see the magnitude of this upgrade, it is absolutely fantastic. It is going to be great for the local area. Project construction, as we know, commenced in term 4 of 2020. It will be delivered in a staged approach to minimise disruption to student learning and also student engagement.
I want to congratulate and thank the school leadership, the governing council, parents and students for their patience and hard work in ensuring this occurs. It is also very important that students continue to receive high-quality education at the school, and that school is extremely well known for delivering the highest quality learning in the state—in fact, you could argue also in the country. This is a very important infrastructure upgrade and an integral part of our government's $1.3 billion plan to build what matters for South Australian schools.
