Senator LUNDY (Australian Capital Territory—Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Sport) (15:04): In response to a question from Senator Siewert yesterday, I seek leave to have the response incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The answer read as follows— Dear Senator Siewert I refer to your question to the Hon Senator Kate Lundy during Question Time yesterday regarding Wyndham Early Learning Activity Centre Inc. (WELA) and the Parental and Community Engagement (PaCE) Program. The Australian Government is committed to improving the engagement of parents and communities in their local schools. I recognise how important it is for families and communities to 'reach-in' to schools and other educational settings to engage in their children's learning with the aim of improving the educational outcomes of their children. The PaCE program supports this goal and is a community driven program for parents and carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. My department provided $269,000 to WELA under the PaCE program for the Engaging Parents to Build Leadership and Support their Children's Learning project. The project was funded from 21 December 2010 to 31 December 2012 and focused on connecting and engaging with isolated Aboriginal parents and caregivers to build the leadership required to support their children's learning at home, and to support high expectations for their children's educational outcomes. The project was initially provided with $165,000 for the period 21 December 2010 to 31 December 2011. In December 2011, WELA requested an extension to their contract until 30 April 2012; however they did not request additional funding. The extension was approved and a contract variation was executed amending the contract period to 30 April 2012. In April 2012, WELA requested a further extension of the project to the 31 December 2012, in addition, they also requested additional funding of $104,000. The extension and the additional funds were approved, bringing the total funding for the project to $269,000 for the period 21 December 2010 – 31 December 2012. The final performance report for the project was submitted by WELA on 25 February 2013, and the audited financial acquittal was submitted in April 2013. Earlier this year my department had informal communications with WELA regarding further funding for the Centre, however there have been no discussions and no formal request for additional PaCE funding for the Engaging Parents to Build Leadership and Support their Children's Learning project or for PaCE funding to commence a new project. The PaCE program commenced in 2009 and under the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act (IETA) 2000. As announced in the 2013-14 Budget, the Australian Government will continue to support a number of programs at the national level for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, including the PaCE program. The Australian Government expended over $80 million for the PaCE program for the period 2009 to 2012 and a further $22 million has been allocated for the program in 2013. Since the program started in 2009, 583 diverse projects across all States and Territories have been initiated, aimed at approximately 53,000 parents and carers and a further 28,000 community members. As at May 2013, 168 projects were operating in 2013 to a value of $13.9 million. Of these projects 97 are continuing from 2012 and 71 are new projects. I encourage WELA to contact Ms Jillian Matthews from my department's WA State Office on (08) 9464 4107 regarding the lodgement of an application for PaCE funding. I trust that the above information will be useful. Yours sincerely Peter Garrett