Tuesday, 3 February 2026

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (18:12): Usually Victorian summers are known for cricket, the Australian Open and temperamental weather, but this summer has been different. This was a summer of delivery: delivery of the Metro Tunnel, delivery of the West Gate Tunnel, delivery of new hospitals – one in Frankston and one soon to be opened in Footscray – and delivery of Labor’s 100th new school. While Labor has had a summer of delivery for the future, for others it has been back to the future. Their very own Doc Brown, the adjunct professor, is back as deputy pilot in the DeLorean.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the government is just defying the rulings of the house. This is the fourth ministers statement that has abused the standing orders in that it attacks the opposition.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education to come back to his ministers statement without attacking the opposition.

Ben CARROLL: On this side of the house we are all for the future because we know education is the single most powerful investment in our future. It was wonderful to be in South Barwon with Labor’s great new candidate Rebecca Thistleton and with the Premier opening a brand new school in Charlemont, one of the growing suburbs; with the member for Melton opening a brand new secondary college in Cobblebank; and with the member for Sydenham opening a brand new primary school too. Nineteen new schools in one year has never been done before. We promised 100, and we have delivered 100 new schools.

We have the biggest school infrastructure program in Victoria’s history and the best NAPLAN results in Victoria’s history. Our government has funded and upgraded every specialist school in this state. That goes to our values for the most vulnerable students in our state. As we know, 50 per cent of all new schools in Australia are built under the Allan Labor government right here in Victoria. While others talk us down, we are leading the nation when it comes to education. Others might say they want to make Victoria great again. We on this side of the chamber know that under a Labor government Victoria always will be great and under an Allan Labor government it will only get greater.