Liberals pledge big education spend for Geelong

THE Liberal Nationals have unveiled nearly $90 million in new funding commitments to schools across the Geelong region if they win November’s state election.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy announced the pledge last week, which includes $7 million on upgrading Bellaire Primary School, $9 million towards Belmont High School and $34.5 million to rebuild Oberon High School in the Armstrong Creek Education Precinct.

The then-empty Oberon site would then get a $10 million revamp to become an autism-specific school for the Geelong region.

Last week’s announcement includes the $8 million the Liberal Nationals previously pledged to Bellbrae Primary School.

Other funding commitments include:
• $3 million for Our Lady Star of the Sea School in Ocean Grove
• $6 million to Iona College
• $6 million to Lisieux Catholic Primary School in Torquay North
• $3 million to St John’s Lutheran School in Newtown
• $3.5 million to Christian College Geelong in Waurn Ponds, and
• A feasibility study into a secondary college in Leopold.

The Liberal Nationals will also support a partnership with Catholic and independent schools with a $400 million fund to upgrade and build new schools across Victoria.

Mr Guy, South Barwon MP Andrew Katos, Liberal candidate for Geelong Freya Fidge and Liberal candidate for Bellarine Brian McKiterick visited Oberon High School last week to discuss the announcement.

“While Oberon is outgrowing its current facilities, we’ll move it to Armstrong Creek where we’ll build a purpose-built, newer and bigger facility for a growing population, but the number of kids who would use a specific autism school could easily fit into these buildings,” Mr Guy said.