2018-05-07
Lidia Thorpe - Speech in Parliament: Today I would like to speak about school funding in my electorate of Northcote. I have called on the government to honour the funding promises it made to schools in Northcote, Alphington, Thornbury and Preston during the by-election.
I am very pleased to see this get results in the 2018–19 budget, but there is still more to be done. Wales Street Primary School has been completely ignored so far, despite the school having a collapsing roof; Thornbury Primary School is in desperate need of upgrades to its aged 1920s buildings and playgrounds; and Westgarth Primary School is bursting at the seams.
Northcote and Thornbury high schools need long-term investment to finally do away with the portables and get the quality school buildings and sports facilities they deserve. There are also asbestos problems remaining in many of our schools. I will keep advocating for these and other schools in my electorate to ensure we get the quality education facilities our children deserve.