Tuesday, 29 October 2024

 Jackson TAYLOR (Bayswater) (15:03): There is always lots happening out in Knox when it comes to upgrading our local schools. I am excited to tell the house that work on Wantirna College is powering ahead with over $11 million to build two new competition-sized basketball courts, a new performing arts and drama space and associated facilities. The frames are up, the facade is really taking decent shape and that will be complete next year for the over 1000 students at Wantirna College. It is a great school and always a pleasure to work with principal Carrie Wallis and the team. And of course the works at Kent Park Primary in Ferntree Gully will be complete next year too. It is a fantastic local primary school. They will have a new synthetic oval and new playground; it was an election commitment. Construction is starting very, very soon – it might have already started as we are speaking right now – and it will be complete next year, delivered as promised. It has also been great to open up the new facilities at Templeton Primary in Wantirna with Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll recently. They have new classrooms and new facilities, a two-storey build that looks absolutely insane. It is probably one of the best builds I reckon we have done in our local patch. Opening soon as well are over $4 million of new classrooms and new facilities, including a library, at Boronia West Primary School. And then in 2026 it is Bayswater South Primary School again, with over $11 million for new classrooms to make sure we keep creating the Education State in Bayswater.