Tuesday, 20 May 2025

Ministers statements: education system

Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (12:35): Soon the Treasurer will hand down her first budget. It will be a budget focused on easing the pressure for hardworking Victorians. It will be a budget focused on making sure that no matter your background, no matter your postcode, you will have every opportunity to succeed, because we know on this side of the chamber that a budget is not just a balance sheet; it is a statement of values. On this side of the chamber we are about more than just words; we are about deeds.

That is why this budget will make sure that it continues a record investment in building the Education State, because on this side of the chamber it should not be your parents’ wage, it should not be your postcode – everyone should have world’s best practice in the classroom. We will continue to roll out best practice in the classroom in every corner of the state. We will continue to make sure that every student, as the Premier says, has access to school. We know travel poverty is one of the key issues that stops young people getting to school – that basic human right of getting an education and having that powerful weapon to transform your life. That is why this budget, as the Minister for Public and Active Transport has highlighted, puts free public transport at the heart of students.

I am also proud of our investment in the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund. The Victorian Council of Social Service has just said, on that additional funding for camps, sports and excursions:

Great to see a pre-Budget announcement of further, smartly-targeted investment in the Camps, Schools and Excursions Fund …

In a cost-of-living crisis, this will make a real difference for children and young people’s participation in school and in the community.

The community sector has long been focused on this. This is a big shout-out to the VCOSS members and everyone that has fought hard to get additional funds for camps, sports and excursions so that no child misses out, so every child can get the opportunity to visit places in Melbourne and they can go on camp, they can go to Canberra. Imagine being a child that would miss out on that. Under the Allan Labor government, no child misses out, and that begins with education.