News

Education | March 13, 2019

Labor confirms cuts to school asbestos removal program

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy says parents in the Lowan electorate will be rightly horrified to hear that the Andrews Labor Government will no longer be funding the removal of asbestos from all state schools.

In Parliament last week the Andrews Labor Government confirmed they had cut their school asbestos removal program which will impact local schools in the Lowan electorate.

In 2014 Daniel Andrews promised to remove asbestos in all schools:

“Under Labor the asbestos will be gone, the risks will be removed and the portables will be replaced, because our kids health and safety means everything;” and

“Classrooms have to be the safest place in the world for our kids, because they spend half their young lives inside of them.”

But now the Andrews Labor Government has walked away from that promise by cutting this program.

“Daniel Andrews and James Merlino have been quick to play politics over school funding recently but have been missing in action when it comes to their promise to remove asbestos in schools,” Ms Kealy said.

“Local parents deserve an explanation about whether any schools in Lowan have deadly asbestos and if so, what the Andrews Labor Government is going to do about it.    

“It’s a pretty low act from Daniel Andrews to go to an election promising to remove asbestos from schools and then turn around after the election and cut the program. 

“Daniel Andrews should hang his head in shame.

“Our local students deserve so much better than Labor’s neglect and I will keep on fighting for this program to be restored so our local children have access to classrooms that are safe and the very best educational services.”