Adjournment – Schools

Mr J. BULL (Sunbury) (19:25:35) — (14 938) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to join me on a visit to schools in my electorate, starting at Gladstone Park Primary School. Gladstone Park Primary School is a wonderful local school that in the 2018–19 state budget received $1.5 million for a significant upgrade. The school and the school community were incredibly grateful and have started planning the upgrade with this funding. I would be delighted to have the opportunity to discuss with the minister how we can make Gladstone Park Primary School bigger and better than ever.

I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work that has been done by the minister in creating and building the Education State. This government, the Andrews Labor government, committed to make Victoria the Education State, not in words but in action. In my electorate alone we have invested over $45 million in local schools. I am sure members will be pleased to know that is the equivalent of roughly 11 million meat pies from the tuckshop. This investment in local schools is not just about numbers; it changes the lives of our students, making sure they have the best resources and the greatest support available to thrive and succeed. I want to put on record my thanks to local principals, school councils and school communities who all work tirelessly to provide the best education and ensure that their voices are heard.

It is outstanding the amount that has been delivered in four years. There has been over $8 million for Sunbury College, $3.9 million for Sunbury Downs College, $500 000 for Salesian College, $900 000 for Gladstone Park Secondary College, over $19 million for the two campuses of Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School — one of those is in the member for Macedon’s seat, I should say — over $700 000 for Kismet Park Primary School, $3.5 million for Sunbury Primary School, $700 000 for Sunbury Heights Primary School, $1.5 million for Gladstone Park Primary School, $4 million to rebuild Tullamarine Primary School and $150 000 for Diggers Rest Primary School, as well as $7 million for a shared facility on land shared between Sunbury Heights and Sunbury Downs College. This is just capital. Time does not allow me to go on, but we have of course the school camps and excursions fund, the doctors in schools program, free breakfasts, eye tests and a huge increase in equity funding.

In politics you are not judged by what you say but by what you do. The Andrews Labor government has delivered in education in my electorate, and the community knows it. We said we would make this state the Education State, and that is exactly what we have done.