Question details
San Remo Primary School
(892) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek from the minister is to find some extra funds, to make some additional back-end cuts in the education department, and make sure his department can find some funding to upgrade the San Remo Primary School.
Imagine an old and worn-out school that is past its prime. It was moved to its current site in 1984, and it took three old buildings at the time. It had an addition of portables, and these portables are now out of date. Imagine it is not fit for purpose. Imagine too that in the lead-up to the 2022 election the member for Bass Jordan Crugnale made an election commitment, a promise that if elected the Labor government would build $5.3 million worth of a school upgrade. Imagine too that from this year to next year there is going to be an increase from 180 students to 225 students, so this is a school that is growing. It is a school that is disadvantaged. There is a huge expectation in that community to provide the fruition of that commitment. There was in the last budget some planning funding. There have been some master plans and designs, some projects and a tender, and the architect has been employed, so it is actually going down the road.
So you can also imagine, Premier and Minister for Education, the disappointment when there was no funding in this year’s budget – no funding for the commitment to stage 1. We heard recently that the education department has been able to make some efficiencies. We have heard of 233 cuts – cuts to services, and I will tell you the services. They were in communications. Does that surprise anybody? They were in project management. They were in IT – they had two IT teams in the education department, and they were able to amalgamate certain members and trim them off. This government has been able to find some efficiencies, so I am calling on the government and this minister to find some further efficiencies and fund the next stage of the San Remo Primary School.
The Minister for Education: I am advised as follows:
The Victorian Government is committed to growing educational opportunities for all Victorians. We have allocated $16.9 billion over the past 10 years to build, upgrade and maintain school infrastructure across Victoria. Our ongoing responsibility is to balance and prioritise the needs of over 1,580 Victorian government schools, all with varying requirements.
As you are aware, the Victorian Government made an election commitment to fund future capital works at San Remo Primary School. In the 2023–24 State Budget, the school was allocated a share of $24 million to begin planning an upgrade and modernisation project to replace relocatable buildings with permanent facilities. The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) has since developed a masterplan, and the project is progressing through the schematic design phase. The VSBA will continue to work with the school to plan the capital works project to prepare for its delivery when it is funded in a future state budget.
Developing and delivering a masterplan is a significant investment and capital works projects can involve several stages to ensure that public money is invested in the right place at the right time. When allocating funding for school upgrades and subsequent stages of existing projects, the Victorian Government uses all available information, including condition assessments, enrolment projections and pre-existing project plans.
As you are also aware, the school received $76,484 under Round 8 of the Inclusive Schools Fund to build an outdoor inclusive learning space that will give children of all abilities new ways to socialise, develop and learn through play. This project is forecast for completion in the second quarter of 2024.
The Victorian Government funds school infrastructure projects in stages, with funding often allocated across multiple budget cycles. It is not uncommon for election commitments to be met in the later years of an electoral term - but we will deliver on every promised school upgrade to give Victorian kids the best education.
The Hon. Ben Carroll MP
Deputy Premier
Minister for Education
Minister for Medical Research
11/6/24