Tuesday, 17 June 2025

 Sarah CONNOLLY (Laverton) (19:18): (1188) My adjournment is for the Deputy Premier as Minister for Education, and the action I seek is that the Department of Education brief Wyndham City Council on the many ways in which our Labor government have built, upgraded and continue to support our Wyndham schools, specifically in Truganina. I am so proud to say we have great local schools in Wyndham. We have built more than 20 in the past eight years alone, more than anywhere else in the state of Victoria. I firmly believe that it is so important that students and parents feel a sense of pride in their school and in their school community, which will essentially help them raise their children into the young adults that they will soon become.

I have seen schools like Dohertys Creek, Garrang Wilam and Bemin Secondary College – the first ever high school in Truganina – go from empty paddocks to thriving school communities thanks to the outstanding work of our local principals. I have worked closely with local principals at schools like Truganina P–9 and Dohertys Creek – fantastic principals like Jo from Bemin Secondary College and Tami-Jo at Dohertys Creek. They work tirelessly to give our kids the best education and the best opportunities possible. It is why I am the first one to have the backs of our principals and the first one to advocate for more funding, more facilities and more playgrounds – the list goes on and on. It is why I am so proud and I keep talking about the $37 million we have just recently announced for stage 2 at Bemin Secondary College.

But, sadly, not all elected officials, notably Wyndham city councillors, understand the importance of supporting our schools and our school communities. Recently, two Wyndham city councillors have been involved in spreading misinformation across my local community, across social media and across WhatsApp groups about a couple of great local schools in Truganina. I have spoken to parents about this misinformation, of their extreme disappointment, and members of our community see through it because they live it. Just like we teach our children at school of respectful relationships, I would like councillors to conduct themselves in respectful ways with their school council presidents – who are volunteers – principals and all other members of our community. I am thankful for the people who stick up for our great school communities, like school council presidents, and who call out disrespectful conduct. I will keep supporting our great volunteers, our educators and all those in our community who strive to make it a wonderful place to live and raise a family.

This is why I am seeking that the Minister for Education ask the Department of Education to provide a briefing to Wyndham City Council and its councillors about schools in Wyndham and in particular in Truganina. Spreading misinformation on social media is never okay. Students know it, and as parents we know it too. I am sure that this briefing will provide the facts. It will provide the data all councillors need to properly understand the state of play when it comes to schools in my local community.