Tuesday, 13 August 2019

Diggers Rest Primary School

Mr J BULL (Sunbury) (19:01): (877) My adjournment matter is for the dedicated and hardworking Minister for Education. The action I seek is that the minister visit my electorate to join me at Diggers Rest Primary School, a wonderful local school in my community. I would like the minister to see firsthand the work that has recently been completed at the school and discuss ways that the school could be improved even further.

Speaker, as you would very much be aware, Diggers Rest is a growing community in my electorate. Once a very small stop for miners on the way heading north, this great little community, tucked beside the Calder Freeway, is rapidly growing, with new families moving into the area each and every day. I am thrilled to see new families coming in, a new town centre on the way, an upgrade to the recreation reserve, significant improvements for the local footy club, with new lights, and an upgrade of the Stan Payne Reserve. Importantly the recreation reserve upgrade is now in the planning phase, and I am working with Melton City Council to see it delivered as soon as possible.

Currently Diggers Rest Primary School has many terrific facilities, but they are facilities that I think can be upgraded even further. Currently the enrolment is 285 students, with an anticipated growth rate to nearly 500 students by 2022—significant growth indeed. Recently I had the opportunity to meet with principal Rachelle Hedger and leading teacher Shaun Sims to discuss steps for the school to improve and ways the Andrews Labor government can improve the school even further.

I am really proud of our record investment in schools over the last five years. These developments are incredibly important, and I look forward to seeing the minister visit my electorate.