Thursday, 18 May 2023

Niddrie Autistic School

Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Manufacturing Sovereignty, Minister for Employment, Minister for Public Transport) (09:44): I rise today to discuss Niddrie Autistic School, one of the key specialist schools in my electorate. Last Wednesday, 10 May, I had the great pleasure of joining the Premier in visiting Niddrie Autistic School. All the way back in 2018 our government announced we would do a $7.3 million redevelopment of this school, which the school desperately needed. The school was officially finished in 2022; however, we did not get a chance to do a new visit to the school and see it until more recently.

Our Labor government education policy is based around one key idea: no child is left behind. Every child deserves the best education and the best possible facilities to mature their young minds, and now the Niddrie Autistic School has these very facilities. These facilities include a new landscaped sensory play area and 12 specifically designed classrooms as well as staff facilities. Not only does this upgrade mean world-class facilities, it also means the school can take on more students, which we know is so important to ensure every child gets the best education for them. In particular I want to thank principal Paige Davey and former principals Mary Thomas and Liz Richardson. These three women have worked tirelessly for the best possible outcomes for the students, and this is a great legacy to everyone.

I want to give a special mention to Noah, who was the tour guide for me and the Premier. He kept me and the Premier on our toes, wanting to know the diameters of the buses and trams and wanting to know what our diaries had in store for the rest of the day. I cannot wait to see what life has in store for Noah; I am sure it is something in the transport industry.

This has been a personal passion project of mine, and I was glad to see how many happy children and families were there when we visited. At the end of the day, this is all about the children.