Thursday, 10 February 2022

Templestowe College

Mr ATKINSON (Eastern Metropolitan) (22:29): (1740) My matter in the adjournment is for the Minister for Education, and it concerns Templestowe College. Templestowe College some years ago—around 10 years ago—had slipped to around 250 students and was looking down the barrel as far as closure goes. Now, perhaps it is for that reason that the government has not really invested much money of a capital nature in that college over the intervening years. But today Templestowe College is a flourishing school with 1250 students, and it is very progressive. Its approach to learning has been quite innovative and very successful, clearly successful, in attracting students but also in the learning outcomes of those students at that school.

The school has a plan for a multi-use community sports hub which would be used by the school during school hours but would be made available to the community for combined use at other times—weekends, evenings and so forth—which is obviously a good investment in terms of that community. Particularly given the shortage of sports facilities there, especially for basketball and similar indoor sports, they have the support of Manningham council, and obviously the school itself is prepared to put money towards this project. But what I am seeking from the Minister for Education is a commitment in the forthcoming state budget of education department funds for some capital investment in this particular facility. Given that the school has had very little funding other than some very basic maintenance over the last 10 years, I think that the case is well made for their need.