Monday 28th June 2010
Hansard of the Legislative Council Committee B

STREETS ALIVE & WATER ORIENTATION

1.5  Grants and Financial Assistance -

Mr FINCH - On page 3.7, table 3.2, item 1.5, Grants and financial assistance there is a decrease for next year and the two succeeding years.  There is a drop from $8.588 million this year to a steady $8.168 million for the next three years.  It is not a huge drop but it is a decrease and do we know what is behind that?  Could we have some explanation of that drop?

Ms THORP - There were some one-off payments.  The Streets Alive Youth Arts Festival was $70 000.  There was a pilot project of $350 000 in this year's Budget which is not reflected in next year's figures for supporting children in water orientation activities, and then there is extra money in there for the School Sports Association.  They are the ones that will come out in the forward Estimates and will result in the decrease.

Mr FINCH - What has happened to Streets Alive?

Ms THORP - It was a one-off.

Mr FINCH - A one-off extra to what they do, because that has been a longstanding program, has it not, Streets Alive?

Ms THORP - It has just been extended for 12 months but it is not in the Budget for next year and the Support Children in Water Orientation pilot is in this year's Budget but it is not in next year.

Mr FINCH - Because it was a pilot?

Ms THORP - We have not done it yet.  It is in this Budget and we will see how it goes and we will make a determination on whether it is value-for-money and whether the community supports it.

Mr FINCH - Is that for one around the State?

Ms THORP - I do not think we have worked out how we are going to do it yet.  It is connected to Launching into Learning, which is for littlies, but how it is going to be rolled out to make sure that there is equitable access to it - there is not a lot of point in giving access to a community that is a long way away from a swimming pool - so we are yet to work out the details of how to spend that money most effectively.  It was an election commitment.

Mr FINCH - Thanks very much. 

CHAIR - Was that a not a very considered election commitment?

Ms THORP - I am not implying that in the least, Madam Chair.

The committee suspended from 5.59 p.m. to 6.12 p.m.