McGowan commits $90m

Centres for childhood intervention would be built in Broome and Derby, Opposition leader Mark McGowan has pledged.

Key Kimberley commitments from Labor

■ $58 million: Local schools

■ $12 million: Early childhood intervention centres

■ $4 million: Training indigenous rangers

■ $3.6 million: Telethon speech and hearing bus

■ $750,000: Kimberley Toad Busters

In launching an initial $90 million election commitment to the Kimberley in Broome last week, Mr McGowan also promised to establish a primary behaviour facility in Broome where problem children would be given an alternative to primary school.

“The concept is that children who are extremely disruptive in school are given an alternative to primary schooling, where they are given intensive help, intensive treatment and intensive instruction from people trained in this area,” Mr McGowan said.

“Then they can go back to school, hopefully with improved behaviour.”

Mr McGowan said that Broome and Derby would also receive early childhood intervention centres at a cost of $12 million.

“That means pre-school-age children will have available to them in Broome and Derby, centres in which their parents can take them to receive intensive treatment or assistance in languages in dental care, early childhood nursing, outreach services, counselling and the like,” he said.

Mr McGowan said Labor would spend $58 million on schools in the region.

“A lot of that is infrastructure at senior high schools around the Kimberley,” he said.

“A large part of this package is about major school improvements.”

He vowed to train about 10 indigenous men and women to work as rangers in national parks across the North West and give $750,000 to the Kimberley Toad Busters to help in the fight against cane toads.

Mr McGowan said that if elected, he would become the minister for regional development as well as premier.

And he said a minister would be appointed to serve every region in WA.

“When you have a minister for the region you have direct access to the cabinet via the minister with direct responsibility for that region.”

Mr McGowan said he would make more commitments to the Kimberley during the election campaign.