Wednesday, 30 July 2025

Newlands Primary School

Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (19:12): (1227) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide an update on the ongoing investments the Victorian Labor government is making to deliver the Education State across my community, including for families of Newlands Primary School.

Located on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Murphy Street, Newlands Primary was first opened in 1951 to service a rapidly growing urban fringe at the time following the end of World War II. Following the opening of the iconic Kodak Coburg factory complex just over the road, which was officially opened by Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies on 14 April 1961, Newlands Primary enrolments only continued to burgeon as the community around it continued to attract more industry, jobs and families, many of whom were from migrant backgrounds. For over 75 years the school has continued to welcome and educate students from a diverse range of backgrounds, fostering a supportive, caring and nurturing learning environment for all, with wellbeing and inclusivity at its heart. That is why it was a pleasure, with my colleague the member for Preston, to have recently visited on 27 June to catch up with newly appointed principal Luke Cripps and deputy principal Graeme and learn about the contributions of Sonya O’Brien, who has been an integral member of the school community for 35 years. Sonya began her journey at Newlands in 1990 and witnessed and helped shape the school through significant change, including periods of the 1990s when there were only about 90 students year on year throughout the school. Her contribution has been invaluable.

We commended student leaders Millie, Abigail, Florence and Charlie. We heard more about the school’s unique Spanish immersion program – Australia’s only Spanish bilingual primary school, a unique education model that is supporting students through dual-language learning. Fantastico! And we were briefed on the school’s growing enrolments. They are preparing to welcome 80 foundation students in 2026, with over 470 enrolments for 2026 in total, a world away from the 90 enrolments in the 1990s. We also thanked the students, the teachers, the families and the volunteers who make the school community the great place that it is.

And that is why as part of the visit we were delighted to inspect the $20 million school redevelopment works that we were proud to deliver – the biggest investment and uplift in the school’s history since 1951, providing for a new competition-grade indoor gym and basketball court already being utilised outside hours by the Coburg and Darebin basketball associations. There is a brand new school library, two modern classroom buildings with accompanying amenities and a state-of-the-art administration building for school leaders, teachers, staff and families.

I thank my predecessors the member for Pascoe Vale Lizzie Blandthorn and member for Preston Robin Scott for their efforts in that project. And of course with the new facilities we are also helping Newlands and other primary families in our community with other supports: the $400 schoolkids bonus, free vision screening and glasses program, free dental and oral health services, the free school breakfast program, free mental health and wellbeing resources and free public transport for young people from 2026 onwards.

But it is also outside the school gates that we are helping through free kinder, saving local families $2500 a year, including through the Barry Beckett Children’s Centre and Newlands community hub, the $200 Get Active Kids vouchers, the $17.8 million Coburg High School technology hub, the Coburg North sports plan with the campaign to save the Coburg athletics track, the new 40-kilometre speed zone on Murray Road, and over $570,000 to protect and preserve the Merri Creek and Edgars Creek corridor. Newlands Primary is a great place to send your child to school.