OFFICIAL OPENING OF NEW PLAYGROUND AND R.E.C. ROOM AT BILOELA STATE SCHOOL

_{24 November, 2006}

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Thanks very much Mr Withers and to all of your teaching staff, to the Parents and Citizens Association President Mr Baldwin, and all the mums and dads and boys and girls.

What a magnificent series of songs we had just before. It must be getting close to Christmas is it?

How many more schools days before Christmas?

15, well, you sang those two songs about Christmas just beautifully and those songs certainly do have a message about giving to others at Christmas time.

I didn’t see to many boys in the choir though, what happened to the boys? The boys are all the good singers, there were couple there and they were very good but I think we need a few more boys next year.

I just wanted to briefly congratulate all of those who have been involved in the new playgrounds and in the R.E.C. room that has been refurbished and built with money the Australian Government has supplied.

I work in the Australian Government I am a politician I am a Senator I live up in Ayr in North Queensland a bit further north of here and I work with the Prime Minister of our country to try and do the right thing for Australians.

Do any of you know who the Prime Minister? Just call out his name.

That’s right, John Howard is our Prime Minister and he leads the Government and it’s his government that has made this money available so you’ve got some good playgrounds and a new Resources, Education and Community room.

I know a lot of people have been involved in that. The principal, the staff and the mums and dads.

Do you all know how much work your mums and dads do for your school, perhaps you don’t always understand, but your mums and dads are there all the time doing work in the tuckshop and work my around the school and its great to see them helping you get a very good education.

We’ve spent something like $50,000 on each of the playgrounds, that’s a $100,000 together and another $18,000 on refurbishing the REC room.  That’s a lot of money and it will I hope, as the principal Mr Withers said, make those playgrounds a lot better.

I understand the old ones were there for about 20 years and they were getting a bit shabby and they didn’t allow access to everyone in your school. Those who weren’t as agile and couldn’t get to them, I understand these new ones are really great and I encourage you to use the playground. I think it is very important that we all keep active.  You have to study hard in your classrooms but you also have to work in the playground to get a lot of exercise so you don’t get lazy.

We don’t want to have too many people with big tummies and if you get out and use the playgrounds that won’t happen and that’s very important.

I understand the new playgrounds are much safer and they do encourage you to get fit.

Well boys and girls I know you’ve all been looking forward to your school holidays coming up and we’re delighted to be able to add to your school and for those of you who are coming back next year, I hope that you do enjoy these playground facilities.

We are very proud as a Government to have put money into your school.  We are going over the road shortly to announce some money for the high school over there, some projects for them and just earlier this year I was providing some money for St Joseph’s next door.

There has been a lot of money come into the schools here in Biloela and it is very important we do that because we want to see all of the boys and girls in Biloela getting the best education.

So finally boys and girls, thank you very much for the singing and congratulations to those who received awards today.  You’ve done very very well and thanks to all the mums and dads for coming along and mums and dads thank you for the work you do around the school.  It’s very much appreciated.

I certainly hope that the Government grant will make your task just a little bit easier and perhaps when you get the additional money that is due to you there will be other improvements you can make to your school. 

Thank you to all of your teachers who do a marvellous job in getting you prepared for your future life.

Well done all of you.

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