Tuesday, 3 May 2022

Northern School for Autism

This petition of residents in Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Assembly that we, the undersigned, request that in the May 2022 State Budget, the Minister for Education, Hon James Merlino and The State Government make a financial commitment to fund the build of a new Senior Campus at Lalor, for the Northern School for Autism. The Northern School for Autism (NSA)-Lalor Campus is part of a Masterplan to redevelop the Peter Lalor Secondary College/ NSA site however, with no confirmed financial commitment to continue planning and commence construction. We have 159 students (12–18 years of age) at the Lalor Campus who only have access to minimal specialist classrooms with no Library, Gym, Science labs, Music/Performance or Therapy rooms, nor does the current campus have adequate green spaces. The Lalor Campus is also seeing an increase of 20+ students every year and the current students do not have the same infrastructure, resources/ facilities which are equitable to those of their peers in the mainstream setting. It is critical that this funding is provided by the State Government as a matter of urgency in the May 2022 State Budget.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Assembly call upon the Minister for Education, Hon James Merlino and the State Government to make a financial commitment in the upcoming 2022 May Budget, to fund the planning and construction cost of a purpose-built Senior Campus for Northern School for Autism in Lalor.

By Ms HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (1055 signatures).