Wednesday, 28 May 2025

 Daniela DE MARTINO (Monbulk) (10:50): It was hugs all around when I announced to principal Sue Holmes and assistant principal Jacqui Wiltshire that we are planning for future upgrades to their wonderful Sherbrooke Community School. This will be for new learning spaces, including a science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics space, better known as a STEAM facility. This lovely school is rich with great teachers and staff and fabulous students, and it is so deserving of this.

Our budget is also lighting up Monbulk Rangers Soccer Club, one of the state’s biggest soccer facilities and the only one across the Dandenong Ranges, with $200,000 towards upgrading their lighting. The old halogen lights are obsolete and cost a fortune to run, and this lighting upgrade is going to mean night matches and training after sunset will be more environmentally and financially sustainable for this great local club.

This year’s budget has delivered for Monbulk, and I am delighted there will be also a package of $150,000 towards making our CFA brigades and SES unit more resilient in times of disaster. This will include equipment to ensure that during severe weather events, when the power goes out and the phones go down, our volunteer emergency services will be able to keep the lights on and the telecoms working. It is a great win for our CFAs and SES, and I am thrilled it is in this year’s budget.