Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Lyndale Secondary College

Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples) (09:46): I rise today to celebrate the official opening of the newly completed total rebuild of Lyndale Secondary College. This was a commitment that Labor made in the lead-up to the 2014 election on the back of some powerful advocacy from the local school community, and rightly so, because the school had not had any meaningful redevelopment since 1961 and was in desperate need. A total rebuild was certainly what was required, and it is what has been delivered.

As of today, after many different stages of construction, this school is quite frankly unrecognisable for all the right reasons. Lyndale Secondary is home to a brand new performing arts centre and canteen, a new world-class STEM learning facility, a new library, an IT wing, new staff admin facilities, an extensive student services area, a new technology art facility, a new learning environment block and upgrades to their Building the Education Revolution building as well. It is a truly state-of-the-art facility and exactly what students in my local community need and deserve.

I want to thank Minister Hutchins, who is sitting at the table with me right now, for joining me in celebrating that milestone and also to thank the teaching and support staff at Lyndale Secondary and their principal Pam Robinson. A special shout-out to former principal Mark Moir, who was a strong advocate for this project but sadly passed away in 2021 without ever seeing it completed. He was an amazing man and an amazing advocate for his school community and for our Dandenong community more broadly.