WA air conditioning in schools: Parents fight back on lack of air-con as Tony Buti defends Cook government

Parents are fundraising to install air-conditioning in their kids’ schools rather than waiting on the Cook Government to lower the temperature in classrooms. Dianella Primary College P&C fired up the barbie outside Mirrabooka Bunnings on Saturday as part of its own effort to beat the heat. It is not in the first wave of 45 older schools chosen for upgraded air-conditioning under the Government’s $89 million “cool the schools” election pledge. The West Australian revealed on Saturday that only three of the 45 schools have so far received the promised reverse-cycle systems, almost one year after the initiative was announced. WA Minister Tony Buti was grilled by reporters on the issue at a press conference on Saturday. “What people have to understand is it’s not just a matter of putting the air-conditioning in (like) you do at home ... a lot of these schools have structural issues, it’s a major exercise,” he said. “It was a major investment that was made at the election time. It’s not the money (holding things up). “The money’s there. It’s the issue of getting the tradespeople, ensuring that the planning is done for that school, to allow it to be installed. So the commitment has been made, the investment’s been made, and the 45 schools will receive their (upgraded) air-conditioning.” Shadow education minister Liam Staltari said it was astonishing that only three schools out of the 45 were equipped for the new school year. “School starts in just over a week,” he said. “As students head back to class, I’m sure most of these communities would have expected upgraded air-conditioning to be installed already, or at the very least, an allocation of money or a timetable for installation. “What’s worse, they have refused to come clean on which schools are next and which will be forced to wait for years. It’s a betrayal of these school communities’ trust.” Dianella Primary College P&C president Megan Tehnas said the school had received State Government funding for “much-needed” shade sails in the kindy area, as well as a vital boost to the breakfast club, which provides free morning meals to students. She said there were 12 classrooms that needed air-conditioning and the school “just doesn’t quite have the budget” at the moment. It has set a $20,000 target to install nine units across the campus. “My daughter has been coming home pretty dead” says Ms Tehnas, adding “She often says, ‘Mum it’s not cool we don’t have air-con’.” Ms Tehnas’ daughter Lalia has even joined the fundraising push, last year setting up a stall selling her Christmas themed creations, raising around $260 towards the effort. According to Ms Tehnas, the public school is currently “working with” both local members Amber-Jade Sanderson and Anne Aly to secure additional funding needed for the upgrades. She said they fundraised for a library upgrade last year. “We have a lovely community and everyone is willing to chip in together to get things done,” she said. “I suppose this is why the P&C exists, to fill the gaps.”