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Education | May 30, 2019

Kealy questions Minister over Warracknabeal funding

The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has questioned the Minister for Education, James Merlino in Parliament this week over his failure to fund the Warracknabeal Education Precinct in the State Budget.

“I have asked Minister Merlino for a detailed explanation as to why the Warracknabeal Education Precinct was not funded in the 2019-20 State Budget,” Ms Kealy said.

“Labor’s botched staging and underfunding of the project has resulted in secondary students missing out on lessons in the regions newest science lab and are stuck in a school riddled with asbestos, cracks in walls that you can fit a fist in and possum urine leaking through ceiling tiles.

“The Special Development School have had to cut education programs in the move to their partially built school, meaning students now miss out on their specialised education programs.

“Primary school buildings have been closed in the past year due to water leaking into light fittings.

“I have raised these issues with the Minister and the Premier on many occasions. The community have raised these issues. The Premier has been on-site. Yet Labor are refusing to complete this vital and half-built project.

“It is outrageous and beyond disappointing that Labor have yet again let down the Warracknabeal community by abandoning the project after building just half the secondary college and a third of the special development school.

“Labor must deliver what local people voted for and provide funding to complete the Warracknabeal Education Precinct.”

Ms Kealy has repeatedly called for the Andrews Labor Government to complete the project.

This includes moving a notice of motion during the first day of the 59th Parliament condemning Labor for their failure to complete the project and repeat letters to the Minister for Education and the Premier, the latest demanding the required funding be allocated in the 2019/20 State Budget.

“The Warracknabeal school community deserve so much better than Labor’s neglect and the current mess of half built schools,” Ms Kealy said.

“We must be able to give our local children access to the very best educational services and opportunities and I will not stop holding the Andrews Labor Government to account until the funding is provided to complete the Warracknabeal Education Precinct.

“The 2019-20 State Budget confirms that Labor has no plan and no money for Regional Victoria.”