Tuesday, 8 September 2026

 Nathan LAMBERT (Preston) (14:33): (1805) My constituency question is for the Minister for Education, and my question is: when will the Department of Education establish the Pavilion School reference group? You might remember that the member for Thomastown and I raised a number of issues relating to the Pavilion School in March, and we were told that the reference group would address and solve these issues. It is now September and the reference group still has not been formed. We need the reference group to be formed as a matter of urgency. We need it also to include a genuine cross-section of perspectives from within the school community, including union representatives. We also need it to contain a genuine cross-section of perspectives from within the department itself, including those with central experience and understanding of our flexible learning environment policies. Finally, given how long it has taken, I think we need to consider extending the emergency Victorian School Building Authority rental support that has been provided to the school’s Epping campus. I do not think it is fair that the school will start the new school year next year without knowing where things might stand at the end of that school year. I thank the minister and the department for their consideration.