$12m lost in BER school closures

TAXPAYERS have spent $11.7 million sprucing up 33 schools that were shut down after being given building grants.

TAXPAYERS have spent $11.7 million sprucing up 33 schools that were shut down after being given federal grants for new buildings and renovations.

While the Gillard government has managed to claw back $4.5m in grants from 12 of the closed schools, and is still looking at the others, it will have to write off $865,702 spent on repairs, painting or renovations.

Every primary school in Australia was given funding for a new building and refurbishment work under Labor's $16 billion Building the Education Revolution.

But the federal Education Department has told the Senate that 12 per cent of funding approved for 10,472 projects still had not been spent, three years later. And 225 projects had been axed due to school closures or amalgamations.

A spokesman for federal Employment Minister Bill Shorten -- who is responsible for BER spending -- yesterday said state and territory governments, and non-government school authorities, were required to notify his department if they planned to close a school in receipt of BER funding.

"If BER funding has been provided to a school that an education authority announces will close or has closed, the commonwealth considers BER funds recovery action on a case-by-case basis."

Mr Shorten's spokesman said 33 schools had closed since being approved for BER funds worth $11.7m. The government had recovered $4.5m from 12 closed schools and was "assessing the circumstances" of 14 others.

In most cases, the spokesman said, a new school had taken over the site or the new BER building -- such as a demountable library -- had been moved to another school. But some of the investment could not be transferred, such as money spent on painting, wall and floor coverings, asphalt, electrical or stormwater works, window, door or gutter repairs.

"In these cases the funding is returned to the commonwealth either in full or in part," the spokesman said. However, $865,702 cannot be recovered.

"The amount of BER funding expended at schools that have closed and where (the department) has assessed the facility or items on which the funds were expended as not being able to be moved to another school, or returned either in full or in part to the commonwealth, is $865,702," the department said in response to a question on notice from the opposition in the Senate.

Dooralong Public School on the NSW central cost was shut at the end of last year after more than $300,000 was spent to refurbish classrooms.

Tiny Byabarra school on the NSW mid-north coast has been mothballed after $300,000 was spent on a new library, as well as $50,000 for painting, repairs to floors, fittings, roofs and drainage.

Ando school in southern NSW has been closed, too, after $50,000 was spent on "refurbishment of school facilities" -- including a $13,000 upgrade to the canteen.

NSW Education said $284,426 had also been spent on an administration centre for the school.

Bilbul school, in the Riverina region, shut down this year despite receiving $50,000 for maintenance. Its BER grant of $250,000 for a new library was transferred to another school.

In Victoria, Clayton Primary School closed at the end of 2010 after $275,000 was spent refurbishing classrooms.

And, in north Queensland, Palmerston East State School closed in April after receiving $250,000 for a library and $50,000 for "minor classroom renewal" -- including $3501 spent converting the toilets to dual-flush.

In South Australia, four primary schools that have closed since 2009 -- Ferryden Park, Ridley Grove, Gepps Cross and Mansfield Park -- were each approved a $2m BER grant to construct "sustainable buildings".

Kilburn and Regency Park schools closed after being approved for $850,000 "sustainable building grants", and Salt Creek Primary School was shut down after spending $250,000 on a new toilet block and $50,000 on refurbishments. Moculta Primary School closed after $250,000 was spent refurbishing the library, while Tarpeena and Dover Gardens schools were shut after each receiving $250,000 for a covered play area.