Cash splash to help kids re-engage

THE Victorian Government will spend One-hundred and thirteen million dollars to help children re-engage in the extracurricular activities they loved before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Announced last Sunday and be known as the Positive Start program, the initiative will focus on students from government and low-fee non-government schools who have been most affected by COVID-19 closures – as well as those who might otherwise be unable to take part in an outdoor education or camp program.

“This is making sure our kids catch up on not just the academic things they have missed out on but the socialisation, the resilience, the great outdoors, all of those other experiences,” said Premier Daniel Andrews.

An investment of $84.3 million will deliver additional camps to benefit 81,200 students during school holidays and 2022 school terms, while $16.3 million will help deliver more than 690,000 swimming and water safety lessons.

A further $12.4 million will provide access to a range of arts, sporting and cultural experiences at every government and low-fee non-government school in Victoria.

Also on Sunday, the state opposition announced a $2.5 billion post-pandemic plan for manufacturing if it wins government at the next election.

Called Rebuilding Jobs, Bringing Manufacturing Home, the program would focus on medicine, clean energy, minerals processing, defence and computing, with a taskforce to allocate $1 billion to projects in regional Victoria.

– BY LIZ HOBDAY/ AAP