Andrews government accused of school funding discrimination

Dozens of schools that are crying out for funding to fix run-down buildings and unsafe classrooms have been overlooked by the Andrews government.

The Andrews government has been accused of discriminating against Coalition-held seats when allocating funding for new schools and upgrades.

Dozens of schools which are crying out for money to fix falling-down buildings and unsafe classrooms have been overlooked by the state government, new analysis shows.

Despite a billion-dollar spending blitz, eighteen electorates keep missing out on funds for school upgrades and new schools, including 11 held by Liberal politicians.

Devastated students, parents and staff from Elwood College, Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College, Brighton Primary, Mornington Park Primary, Kew East Primary and Mount Eliza Secondary College have all spoken out about the desperate need for campus upgrades.

The schools are all in the Liberal-held seats of Brighton, Mornington and Kew.

Data compiled by the state opposition shows the state budget allocated $241m into Labor seats and $14m into Coalition seats for new capital works.

Labor holds 63 per cent of seats but schools in their electorates have received 93 per cent of funds.

The Coalition holds 32 per cent of seats but received only 6 per cent of funds.

There is no new funding in Green seats.

Mount Eliza Secondary College is one of many schools where students, parents and staff are calling for a campus upgrade.

In terms of existing projects, Labor electorates received new funding in the 2023/24 budget of $500m (70 per cent), the Coalition $184m (26 per cent) and the Greens $23m (3 per cent).

Some schools in Labor seats also missed out, including Sunshine College North Campus, which is in the electorate of St Albans.

In November last year, senior students from the school Frank and Bailey took part in a YouTube video tour of the campus, revealing walls with large cracks, fallen ceilings, unusable spaces and black mould-infested rooms.

Parents whose children attend Mornington Park Primary also say their school urgently needs upgrades due to the buildings being dilapidated and riddled with asbestos.

School council president Belinda Edmondson said parents were concerned about the state of the school.

“It’s become a real worry for parents. They are really concerned about the lack of upgrades,” Ms Edmondson said.

“The toilets are also awful and dilapidated. The preps are quite anxious about using the toilets as they are cold, run down and also full of asbestos. Block B is all asbestos.”

Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins says the government iss ‘delivering the school infrastructure and educational opportunities Victorians voted for’. Picture: Luis Ascui

Opposition Education spokesman Matt Bach said there should be one criteria, and one criteria only, for school funding: need.

“It doesn’t matter what postcode you live in, every child matters. That’s why Labor’s ongoing rorting of the schools budget is so despicable,” he said.

Liberal member Chris Crewther said schools including Mornington Park Primary School and Mount Eliza Secondary College were in urgent need of upgrades and redevelopments.

“Students are disadvantaged by the lack of infrastructure and facilities and need modern, inclusive and safe schools with the required resources to support them,” Mr Crewther said.

Federal Liberal Jess Wilson said Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College and Kew East Primary School were also in need of funding.

“The Andrews government talks about governing for all Victorians but time and again ignores those most in need,” she said.

Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins said the government was “delivering the school infrastructure and educational opportunities Victorians voted for, no matter where they live, investing $14.9bn over the past nine years to modernise and build new schools right across the state.”