Brighton electorate
James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:44): (1244) My question is to the Minister for Education, and I ask: when will the minister review the unfairness of school funding, which has ignored Bayside Catholic schools like St Mary’s Primary in Hampton? St Mary’s Primary recently celebrated a century of caring for Bayside children. Established in a church in 1924, the original school building was then built in 1954. Led by principal Steele Anderson, the school is exceptional but requires modernisation. The central school staircase is a converted steel external fire escape that is brutal in nature and has led to incidents where children have needed medical care. The staircase is also not accessible, and children with accessibility issues do not have access to the school’s second floor. The library has been built with less durable materials and needs upgrade as well as the addressing of poor ventilation and insulation issues. A number of second-floor classrooms in the original building require significant attention, with roof leaks forcing closure of the learning spaces. Combined with ageing demountables that are asbestos ridden, there is just not enough learning space in the school.