State Budget 2018: Funding for new schools but inner-city Hobart school plan on hold

TWO new schools will be built in Tasmania and the Government has budgeted $179 million to upgrade existing facilities.

The Hodgman Government will spend $179 million on education infrastructure upgrades next financial year.

TWO new schools will be built in Tasmania and the Government has budgeted $179 million to upgrade existing facilities but the vision of building a new inner-city school in Hobart seems to have dropped off the radar.

The Government announced last May a new CBD high school was being considered and its feasibility would be assessed.

While $5 million of the $20 million needed to build a new primary school at Legana in Tasmania’s North was included in this year’s Budget along with another $3 million of the $30 million required for a high school at Brighton, there was no money to advance work on the proposed new school in downtown Hobart.

It was mooted due to the massive growth of feeder schools, including Taroona High School which received funds in this year’s Budget to cope with increased enrolments.

The two new schools funded in this year’s Budget will not be completed until 2022 at the earliest.

From a total education infrastructure spend of $179 million over six years, $163.5 million is for public school upgrades and $15.5 million for TasTAFE “turbo-charging”.

Money has been earmarked to rebuild the Sorell School and works at Penguin School, Cosgrove High School and Devonport High School.

The Government will spend another $30.5 million as it works to extend all Tasmanian high schools to Year 12 but will also invest money in Hellyer College in Burnie and Launceston College for those looking to move from high schools and into the college system.