News

Education | May 27, 2019

Broken Promise to Baimbridge College

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy is outraged that Labor has lied to voters and broken their promise of $8.4 million in capital funding for Hamilton’s Baimbridge College.

Ms Kealy has visited the school on many occasions and seen firsthand the desperate need for repairs to school buildings that cannot be used because of their unsafe condition, as has the Labor Member for Western Victoria, Jaala Pulford.

“Labor made an election promise in September 2018 to provide $8.4m in capital funding to rebuild Baimbridge College, but have now left the school reeling after only providing meagre funds for even more planning,” Ms Kealy said.

“It is beyond disappointing that we had to launch an extensive community campaign and petition to get Labor to promise the funding prior to the State election, only to now have Labor break their promise.

“Baimbridge College is the only public secondary school in the Hamilton district. It is vital that this investment is delivered to help support our fabulous educators provide the best possible education for our local students.” 

Baimbridge missed out on capital funding in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 State budgets, despite being one of 35 schools to share in $12 million for planning in 2016-17.

“The planning has already been done and Labor needs to get on with the job of building the facilities that the school that Hamilton so desperately needs, not going around in dizzy little circles redoing plans that have already been completed," Ms Kealy said.

“All young people are entitled to a quality education, whether they live in the city or the country, and the residents of Lowan will accept nothing less.

“We must be able to give our local children access to the very best educational services and I will not allow Labor to get away breaking their promise to rebuild Baimbridge College and provide our local youth the school they are entitled to and deserve.

“Today’s appalling State Budget from Daniel Andrews confirms that the Premier has no plan and no money for Regional Victoria,” she said.