Thursday, 4 May 2023

Northern Victoria Region

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:48): (153) My question is to the Minister for Education. On 10 March this year I wrote to the minister asking her to take immediate action to address the numerous serious assaults on students at the Shepparton Skene Street bus interchange, after I had received reports of up to 100 Greater Shepparton Secondary College students attending the interchange after school each day, where a small number of them have intimidated Notre Dame staff and targeted younger students from all schools. GSSC leadership have tried to support Notre Dame where possible, but they have their own bus interchange to supervise. The minister has so far failed to even respond to my letter, let alone take any action to stop the actions of the GSSC students. On Monday afternoon, three Notre Dame students were seriously assaulted by GSSC students, with two victims requiring hospital treatment. The violence is escalating in nature with no systemic support being given by the education department to support Shepparton schools to address it. Will the minister immediately intervene and direct the education department to take urgent action to address the violence occurring at the Skene Street bus interchange?