Candidates pledge millions to upgrade South Yarra Primary School

With the state election just 11 days away, candidates fighting to claim the marginal seat of Prahran are throwing big bucks in funding pledges at a South Yarra school.

South Yarra Primary School is bursting at the seems say worried parents including Emily Keon-Cohen. Picture Norm Oorloff

With the state election just 11 days away, candidates fighting to claim the marginal seat of Prahran are throwing big bucks in funding pledges at a South Yarra school.

South Yarra Primary School is panning out to be a key issue for candidates vying to win the marginal seat of Prahran in the November 24 state election.

Parents have long lobbied for more space and better facilities at the cramped school with skyrocketing student numbers.

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Portable classrooms were at capacity, they said, and the school’s library and multipurpose room were this year converted to classrooms to help ease the student squeeze.

Labor candidate for Prahran Neil Pharaoh visited South Yarra Primary this month to announce a $6 million funding pledge should Labor win another term.

The Liberals had previously announced a $10 million cash splash for the school but Mr Pharaoh said his party had a “well thought through” plan to increase capacity at the school by demolishing an existing building to make way for a new three-storey block of classrooms for 200 students.

“The Liberals haven’t put forward a plan, they’ve put forward a vote buying exercise to be honest,” he said.

Liberal candidate Katie Allen hit back, saying the school had been ignored by the State Government and Labor’s announcement was “too little too late”.

“It takes an election to get their attention. (Prahran is) a neglected electorate,” Dr Allen said.

The Liberals’ multimillion-dollar funding pledge included $500,000 for a review of the site and development of a building plan, and Dr Allen said her party was keen to work with the community to find the best solution for the site.

Greens MP Sam Hibbins currently holds the electorate on a knife-edge majority of just 0.4 per cent after a surprise election result in 2014 saw the seat handed to him based on preferences.

His historic win marked the first time a Greens candidate was able to wrangle a seat from a Liberal MP in the House of Representatives.

Mr Hibbins said he lobbied the government to take action on overcrowding at the school, and if re-elected he would hold the next government to account to ensure it delivered on its commitment.

He highlighted the upgrade to South Yarra train station, improvements to the electorate’s public housing estates and the government’s decision to build a new Prahran High School, which is due to open next year, as some of his key achievements.

For voting times and places go to vec.vic.gov.au

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