Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Petitions

Brighton Primary School

James NEWBURY (Brighton) presented a petition bearing 757 signatures:

Issue

This petition of residents in Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Assembly the fact that Brighton Primary School, which is turning 150 years old in 2025, has been continually overlooked for capital funding despite the dire need for building upgrades. Since 2016, schools by the Bay from Port Melbourne to Beaumaris have received significant capital works contributions, while Brighton Primary School has been left behind. Brighton Primary School’s inclusiveness as one of four specialist hearing units for deaf children in Metro Melbourne underpins the importance of the institution and its place in our community. Nearly two thirds of the school’s 550 students are taught in 14 demountable classrooms, some of which are over 40 years old, poorly insulated and well beyond their useful lives. In addition to this, the aged main school buildings require significant refurbishment to bring them up to a standard that is conducive for providing quality education in an appropriate and inspiring environment. The teaching staff have contributed by providing quality education as evidenced in the last three years NAPLAN results. Quality education is essential and requires investment from all levels for the development of our children and the community’s future.

Action

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Assembly provide capital works funding in the 2024-25 Budget to Brighton Primary School, which has not received any capital works financial support from the government since well before 2016.The Brighton Primary School Council has done its part and shown commitment to this initiative by self-funding their own vision into a masterplan that it is very keen to discuss and obtain feedback from the Government on. We ask the Legislative Assembly to recognise the great work that the teaching faculty have done and do their bit to allocate this much needed capital investment to ensure our students can learn in inspiring and contemporary facilities.

Ordered that petition be considered tomorrow.