Thursday, 24 September 2026

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria) (09:59): I rise to celebrate two wonderful reasons to be proud of Western Victoria. The new South West Tech School is now open at South West TAFE’s Warrnambool CBD campus, giving thousands of students from 26 secondary schools the chance to learn with technology many of us could only have dreamed about at school. Students will explore drones, virtual reality, robotics, sustainable farming, recycling and manufacturing and even use AI to develop new food ideas. The programs are free, with transport provided so young people from right across the region can take part. A very special shout-out goes to the school’s inaugural director Rohan Keert. Rohan, former principal of Cobden Technical School, has brought enormous energy, experience and heart to this new school. He understands regional students and the opportunities they deserve, and we are very lucky to have him leading the way.