2018-08-21
Lidia Thorpe - Speech in Parliament: I rise to speak about the planning for a new senior campus of Alphington Primary School. This government has allocated $4.5 million for a new campus to accommodate the growing student population. This project is in the early phase of site selection and design, but already it has proven problematic.
I held a community forum last week to talk about the future of Alphington, and the school campus was the locals’ main concern. Proposals so far have been for sites with very little or no green space.
Locals are concerned because the process seems to be controlled by the developer, who is determined to put the school campus on top of high-rise apartments and a shopping centre. This poses many health and safety concerns, and it is completely inadequate when the government could easily purchase a piece of land for the school campus.
All primary school students need access to adequate outdoor space for physical activity and mental wellbeing. They also need a safe and appropriate location for the school, one that is not on top of a shopping centre and next to two major roads.
The government must go back to the drawing board, consult with the school and local community and consider alternate sites so we can ensure the new campus will lead to the best education and development outcomes for these children.