Mr.  J. BULL (Sunbury) — The matter I raise for the adjournment tonight is for the Minister for Training and Skills, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit my electorate and tour the former Victoria University site at Jacksons Hill, Sunbury, and also to meet with representatives of the Sunbury Asylum Alliance, who are advocating strongly for protection of the site.

The Sunbury Asylum Alliance was established last year with the aim of reclaiming the site for community and cultural use, and I am keen to discuss the alliance’s proposal with the minister. Many members of the house will know that the former Victoria University site at Jacksons Hill was originally opened as the Sunbury Industrial School in 1864 to educate and house destitute children. Due to appalling conditions and high rates of death and diseases the school was closed in 1879 and used thereafter as an asylum for those with mental health problems, and it was operated in this capacity for many decades.

From 1968 until 1992 it was the site of the Caloola Training Centre for the intellectually disabled, and in 1999 the site was purchased by Victoria University. Disappointingly, Victoria University closed the site in late 2009, and its fate has been in limbo ever since.

The site has a dark history, but there is no denying the historical beauty of its buildings as it stands on Jacksons Hill overlooking Sunbury. You would be hard pressed to find a person in Sunbury who does not know of the site’s existence. Over many years it has fulfilled many functions for the community. It is currently used by a number of community groups, including local radio station 3NRG and the Boilerhouse Theatre Company. Sunbury Primary School and the Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School are also located on Jacksons Hill.

On numerous occasions the former member for Macedon raised this issue in the house and in writing. The former government stated that it had met with Victoria University’s vice-chancellor in relation to the proposed sale of the Sunbury campus and that ‘it was keen to resolve the matter as soon as possible’. Despite this, nothing was done, and the site still sits idle.

During the election campaign and over the past five months I have met with numerous school principals and community groups, who all highlight the significant lack of higher education opportunities available to students in Sunbury. I ask the minister to look into this matter, and the action I seek is that he visit the site to see its potential firsthand and discuss its future with representatives of Sunbury Asylum Alliance.