Wednesday, 22 March 2023

 Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (19:00): (111) The matter I raise is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to allocate sufficient funds in the upcoming 2023 state budget for desperately needed facility upgrades at the many schools in the Evelyn electorate, including but not limited to: Wandin North Primary School for new toilets, new permanent buildings to accommodate STEM and arts learning, a new library and disability access; Birmingham Primary School in Mount Evelyn, the largest local primary school in my electorate, for a new multipurpose school stadium for sports, arts and assemblies – indeed this facility would also serve as a community emergency shelter during times of severe storms and bushfires; Rolling Hills Primary School in Mooroolbark; Chirnside Park Primary School, where many kids in my electorate attend, for new overhead sports court covers to enable greater outdoor learning, rain, hail or shine; Yarra Hills Secondary College, Mount Evelyn campus, for a master plan and upgrades to the front entrance, reception and administration and for new classrooms throughout; and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Mount Evelyn, for new toilets and new classrooms, particularly for foundation students. Those are just a few examples of the school upgrades that we need locally and the funds that we require in the upcoming state budget to be allocated to schools in the Evelyn electorate.

Last year, in the 2022 state election, I and the Victorian Liberals committed $15.6 million to schools in the Evelyn district. We listened to these school communities regarding the important projects that they need to ensure modern and safe learning environments for the school students and the teaching staff at those schools. As part of my local plan to meet the needs of students, their families and our amazing teachers and principals, our commitments would help to deliver the best possible learning environments and educational facilities. Sadly, so far, the Andrews Labor government has failed to match any of these election commitments. A number of these schools have not received any capital improvement funding for over 20 years, and when you consider that the Andrews Labor government has been in power for about 17 of the past 21 years, it is completely unacceptable that this Labor Party has failed to invest in these schools, ignoring the needs of students and teachers. They are Victorians too. I call on the Minister for Education and the Andrews government to allocate funds in the May 2023 budget to ensure schools in the Evelyn electorate get the upgraded facilities that they need and deserve.