Wednesday, 5 June 2019

 Ms SHEED (Shepparton) (11:21): My question is for the Premier. The Shepparton education plan is underway and was allocated funding of $20.5 million in last year’s budget. A further $100 million will be required to build a regional college, merging four secondary schools into one campus comprising nine schools of 300 students each. It is a transformational plan, and it will see all young people in the state education system leave school with a pathway and a vision for the future. But some constituents in my region are concerned that there was no further funding in this year’s budget and they are anxious to know that the progress of the plan will continue. So, Premier, will you commit to funding the Shepparton education plan, and when can my constituents expect to see this commitment fulfilled?

 Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (11:22): I thank the member for Shepparton for her question and for her advocacy, and indeed for the work that she has done in the coordination of this, from concept to the initial investment of, I think around $21.5 million—

A member interjected.

Mr ANDREWS: I will not respond to interjections; that would be disorderly. But I will simply say again for the benefit of the member for Hastings that the member for Shepparton should be very proud of her advocacy, which she has been doing for quite some time with me directly—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Hastings will cease interjecting across the chamber. The Premier, to continue.

Mr ANDREWS: I do not know that the member for Hastings has ever raised any matters in relation to schools with me; I am not sure. Maybe he has; I am not sure. But I can say to the member for Hastings, to every member of this house and indeed to every member of the Shepparton community and the Goulburn Valley more broadly that the member for Shepparton has raised these matters with me consistently. The Deputy Premier is well aware of these matters as well. There has been an investment of some $21.5 million. Whilst we did not necessarily make a specific election commitment to provide further funding, I would cite, I suppose, the works at the Goulburn Valley hospital, the Shepparton hospital, as a clear example that once we start a project we get on and we finish the work that we have started. I look forward to making future announcements in relation to delivering that education plan.

It is fair to say that not only has the member for Shepparton been a champion for better education through better facilities, and that critical mass that comes from merging those schools together, but indeed also educators in the Shepparton community, the parent community. It is a pretty bold plan, and it has not been universally supported all the way along, so to take that vision to the community is very, very important, and the community support for the project has been no small thing.

So whilst there is not further funding allocated in this year’s budget, I do look forward to being able to make further announcements in future budgets. Every budget that we have delivered so far and every budget that we do have the privilege to deliver will always be a good budget for public education in every corner of our state. The member would understand, as I am sure her community would understand, that the first and foremost priority for the government in its first budget after the election was to make a start and deliver on all of our election commitments. Just like last term, we will go beyond those election commitments, and that will include standing with students and families and the broader community of the Shepparton electorate. I again take the opportunity to thank and acknowledge the member for Shepparton for her passionate and effective advocacy on behalf of her community.

 Ms SHEED (Shepparton) (11:25): Thank you, Premier. As you know, the Shepparton district has received substantial investment over the last four budgets and many of the major projects are now underway. I ask: will you come to Shepparton to see for yourself the transformation that is taking place, but also to meet with students, teachers and other constituents in my electorate who really want to see the Shepparton education plan reach its fruition by the due date of 2021?

 Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (11:26): I thank the member for Shepparton for her supplementary question. I think I will be in Shepparton quite soon in relation to—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr ANDREWS: I am looking forward to it. None of you will be there, so it should be fantastic. It should be absolutely fantastic. I would not be groaning if I were you. You might not like visiting Shepparton. I love visiting Shepparton—the mighty Goulburn Valley. It will be great to be there, and do you know what I will be doing? I will be there, I think, for the topping out of the hospital—$169 million invested by Labor in that hospital. I will be delighted, if time permits, to meet with the member for Shepparton, to meet with students and anyone else in the community who is interested in these education matters, as she has asked. That would be a useful thing for us to do. It will be a great day, that day, not just for those who are in Shepparton, but clearly those who are not.