Thursday,20 March 2025
Adjournment
Auburn Primary School
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Auburn Primary School
John PESUTTO (Hawthorn) (00:30): (1085) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I ask the minister to undertake is to engage with his department to deliver urgently required upgrades to bathroom facilities at Auburn Primary School. The minister will recall that I have previously corresponded with him and his office regarding Auburn Primary School’s ongoing need to undertake substantial upgrades to their junior bathrooms. As the minister will recall from my letter of 4 June last year, the driving need behind these works is to provide a fit-for-purpose disabled bathroom to accommodate current students and parents with mobility issues in the Auburn Primary School community.
I was glad to receive a reply from the minister on 1 July last year. The minister committed to have his department engage with Auburn Primary School about the possibility of utilising an accessible building program grant. I regret to inform the house that to my understanding these conversations were substantially unproductive and have not led to the desired result. Auburn Primary School has subsequently and unsuccessfully applied again for capital works funding to undertake these necessary upgrades. Auburn Primary School have also informed me they would appreciate any constructive feedback on their previous grant applications so that they can understand better why they have thus far been so unsuccessful. Finally, I would also like to invite the minister, as part of this process, to visit Auburn Primary School with me to see the state of the bathrooms for himself and meet with school leadership, parents and volunteers. I am confident the minister will agree that student bathroom accessibility and the quality of facilities is a matter that transcends politics and should be addressed with the collective support of everyone here today.
It should not be this hard for schools such as Auburn Primary School to secure basic facilities for students. We know that learning outcomes are hindered when facilities are not fit for purpose and up to the highest levels that we ought to be able to expect in Victoria. Auburn Primary School has often, and too often, missed out on basic funding requirements. I urge the minister to take this request seriously and to act on it.