Tuesday, 2 June 2026

 Tim RICHARDSON (Mordialloc) (19:03): (1670) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Education. The action I seek is for the minister to update my community on the timeframes for the commencement of early planning and works for Keysborough Gardens Primary School, which is an $8 million investment in the 2026–27 budget. This is an amazing school in our area. Keysborough South is a newly established area in the south of Keysborough. Thousands of people now call this area home. Keysborough Gardens Primary School was opened by a Labor government. It was the former member for Keysborough Martin Pakula who worked hard on securing this investment. We see now that the second stage has been completed, and we are building the third stage, with upgrades to deliver a library and improve classroom spaces. I want to give a big shout-out to principal Sherri Jenkins, an amazing leader in our community and one of the best principals you can come across – such an incredible leader; her principal leadership team; and the teachers and education support staff, who do such a great job. The aspiration and the hope at this school and its inclusivity are the hallmarks of what make this school amazing. You feel it going into the place. You feel that the kids are safe and that their learning is absolutely enhanced with some of the best educators we have got.

I take this opportunity as well to acknowledge the incredible work of the education minister to really put forward an in-principle agreement for the education enterprise bargaining agreement with our teachers and education support staff. It is Labor governments that back our teachers and invest in our education system each and every time that we get the opportunity to be in government. We have reformed education substantially, building back the education regions. We have recruited more and more teachers and education support staff, and we are truly the Education State as a result of that. That investment, that support of teachers, is on the back of the great leadership of the Deputy Premier and the Premier, but I know the education minister has done a truckload of work. This has been a constant focus. He has been building works across the state, and he is an outstanding leader. I am really happy to submit this adjournment to him and get an update on how Keysborough Gardens Primary School will progress.