West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has defended his education minister following a series of embarrassing backflips and revelations five schools have tested positive for elevated lead levels.
Mr McGowan has dismissed claims Sue Ellery caused unnecessary panic with her decision to supply students at five public schools with bottled water on their first day back this week.
"She took precautions, she did the right thing. She tried to protect children's health," the premier told 6PR radio on Thursday.
"There was a failure at some level in terms of getting the testing back on time."
Hundreds of students headed back to school on Wednesday amid revelations lead testing was incomplete at five schools and initial testing at five more had shown elevated lead levels in non-drinking water.
Two of the five schools returned clear test results overnight with three, Rapids Landing Primary School, Aveley North Primary School and Aveley Secondary College, remaining on bottled water.
Mr McGowan joined Ms Ellery in blaming the Education Department for the testing delay and its failure to inform the minister until Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm angry with the people involved, I think it's a failure," Mr McGowan said.
But Opposition Leader Mike Nahan said it was outrageous to blame the bureaucrats.
"This issue did not come as a bolt out of the blue. The opposition raised the potential for lead in new school buildings with the government in September last year," he said.
Parliament was told at the time that lead testing would be conducted at the commissioning of every new school and the taps would be flushed at the start of every new year, Dr Nahan said.
The CPSU/CSA, which represents education support staff, has blamed the Barnett government for the lead testing kerfuffle due to job cuts in the Department of Finance, which is responsible for building management and works.
The lead issue comes after a backflip on $23 million worth of education cuts following a public outcry and the dropping of plans to relocate the academically selective Perth Modern School.
