17 days before asbestos clean-up crews were sent to Brisbane school
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It took 17 days for the Education Department to be notified and to send out a clean-up crew after contractors disturbed asbestos while installing airconditioning at a Brisbane school.
The incident was among 19 asbestos “exposure incidents” at Queensland schools during the installation of airconditioning under the government’s Cooler Schools program since 2019.
Education officials faced a grilling about asbestos removal at Sunnybank State High School during budget estimates.
Credit:Rohan Thomson
On November 9, at 6.35am, airconditioning contractors disturbed asbestos at Sunnybank State High School but a professional crew was not sent to the school for testing, and to clean up more than 30 rooms, until November 26, 17 days later.
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Several community art programs will share more than $48,000, thanks to a recent funding approval from Gladstone Regional Council.
In a general meeting on May 4, Gladstone Regional Council heard 11 applications were received for the Regional Arts Development Fund Round One for 2020-21.
Councillors voted unanimously to fund seven of the 11 applications.
Gladstone Independent Schools Music Association, Boyne Tannum Arts Business Community Association, Ping Carlyon, Sharon Hare, Kathryn Apel, Luke Graham and Rosedale State School will share $48,685.97 for art projects across the region.
General manager Community Development and Events Kylie Lee said a majority of the applications were of “very high calibre”.
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Subscriber only MORE than 2064 school suspensions were handed to Gladstone State High School students in the past five years, recent data has shown.
New data released this week revealed three Gladstone schools had more than 1000 suspensions, with some ranging from exclusion to cancellation. Gladstone State High School reported some of the highest rates of suspension across the board at 2064 incidents including 1815 short suspensions, 116 long suspensions, 72 exlusions and 61 cancellations. Toolooa State High School followed closely behind recording 1674 school suspensions. Tannum Sands State High School had 1023 school suspensions. A Department of Education spokesman said Queensland schools had high expectations for positive and respectful behaviour from all students and adults.