Tuesday, 15 October 2024

St Joseph’s Christian college

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (18:48): (1176) My adjournment is to the Minister for Planning, and I seek the action of the minister to progress the building of St Joseph’s Christian college on Mickleham Road in Yuroke in my electorate after it was cruelly rejected by her department. This project by the Assyrian Church of the East is a valuable development to enhance the cultural community of the church as well as provide much-needed choice in education for the Assyrian community here in Melbourne. The Labor government have rejected the school on the basis that it will cause traffic congestion on Mickleham Road. At the same time they have recently fast-tracked and approved – against the wishes of Hume City Council – the Craigieburn West Precinct Structure Plan of 8000 homes just across the road, but apparently it is a faith-based school that will cause traffic congestion, not the massive PSP.

There is a real lack of faith-based education in the outer northern suburbs, with many local faith schools having a big waiting list. Today I have tabled a paper petition of almost 5000 Victorians calling on the government to approve this school. The Assyrian community of this church are a large and vibrant community, and it is my pleasure to work with them closely as their local MP. St Joseph’s is intended to allow the church to provide students with a strong foundation in the Christian faith aligned with the doctrines of the Assyrian Church of the East. It will offer a specialised curriculum tailored to meet the community’s unique needs, and of particular note, this school will teach the Assyrian language as a core subject. This will help ensure the preservation of the language, which is a UNESCO-listed endangered language.

Well over a year ago in July 2023 the church submitted an application for a permit. As is common, the Department of Transport and Planning sought changes to the school. The church has been accommodating at every turn, downscaling its original plan and changing an intersection – multiple times, I might add. They have met with the department, have taken part in compulsory conferences and feel like every time they make a concession the goalposts are moved, and now they have to go to VCAT. This has cost the Assyrian church about $300,000 in consultation and legal fees, so it is really, really important that we get this school going and not deny educational opportunities to my constituents.

The Minister for Planning has the power to call this in. The Minister for Planning is happy to call in developments, particularly in Liberal seats, but when it is a faith-based school in a Labor electorate she will not act. I seek the action of the minister to direct her department to support this application in order to stop delays and in order to support faith-based education where it is sorely needed in the northern suburbs.