Wednesday, 15 October 2025

 Daniela DE MARTINO (Monbulk) (19:41): (1343) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide a formal update on the progress of the upgrade and modernisation works at Emerald Secondary College. Emerald Secondary is a wonderful local school with a dedicated team of educators and support staff who work hard to support students in both their learning and wellbeing. The school is a vital part of our Hills community, and I know how much this investment means to local families. In the lead-up to the election I advocated for our government to invest in completing Emerald Secondary’s master plan, and in the 2023–24 state budget $8.77 million was allocated to deliver this major upgrade and modernisation project at the college. I have been advised that additional compliance steps have been required due to updates to the National Construction Code. Specifically, the site must meet specification 43, which outlines bushfire protection measures for schools in high-risk areas. These safeguards are essential to ensure buildings are resilient and safe for students and staff. As part of this project, the project team has undertaken a pre-r129 check with the CFA and developed a fire performance-based design brief. These are important steps that ensure the design meets fire safety standards through tailored, expert solutions. I understand these requirements have added time to the process, but they are necessary to ensure the safety and integrity of the final build in my beautiful but very fire-prone district of Monbulk. The project is now in the tender documentation phase. It is a significant investment for Emerald Secondary College and the broader Hills community, and I look forward to the minister’s response.