Tuesday, 13 May 2025

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:55): (1549) My question is for the Minister for Education. In my electorate an eight-year-old girl named Ruby has level 3 autism spectrum disorder, among other significant challenges. She urgently needs a place in a specialist school, but she remains stuck on a waiting list alongside at least 31 other children because her local school is critically understaffed. The principal has said that funding shortfalls have left teachers overwhelmed and unable to meet demand. This is not an isolated case. It reflects a broader failure of our education system, particularly when it comes to vulnerable children. Given the government’s decision to delay $2.4 billion in public school funding until 2031, can the minister confirm how many children are currently on the waiting list for specialist schools in Victoria and what steps are being taken to address staff shortages in those schools?