LABOR has bettered the Coalition\u2019s pledge to Bellbrae Primary School, promising to deliver $9.1 million in upgrades if the party retains government at November\u2019s state election.<\/p>\n
Education Minister James Merlino visited the school on Thursday to announce the money would go towards a new competition-grade gym, upgrading the school\u2019s oval, and building new open learning spaces as well as science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) facilities.<\/p>\n
The $9.1 million commitment means there is now bipartisan support from the major parties \u2013 it comes less than a month after the Coalition\u2019s announcement that there would be $8 million in their first budget.<\/p>\n
Touring the school with Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney and South Barwon candidate Darren Cheeseman, Mr Merlino said Labor\u2019s pledge would be on top of the $1 million already delivered to the school.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got the biggest school building program in the history of the state, and it\u2019s really exciting that you\u2019re a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, the $9.1 million promise comes with a caveat \u2013 it is not guaranteed to be delivered in Labor\u2019s first budget.<\/p>\n
Mr Merlino said about 80 per cent of Labor\u2019s pledges ahead of the 2014 state election were funded in the 2015\/16 budget, and that the Bellbrae Primary School community \u201ccan have some confidence\u201d that their money would be in Labor\u2019s 2019\/20 budget.<\/p>\n
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy and South Barwon MP Andrew Katos visited the school on June 25 to make their $8 million pitch, and Mr Katos said the Coalition\u2019s pledge also included a commitment to move the school onto mains water.<\/p>\n
\u201cI raised this school with James Merlino in 2015, and mentioned it in Parliament on at least 10 occasions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s taken a commitment from the Liberal Party to get the Labor Party to make a commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bellbrae school council president Mitch Barrow was \u201cabsolutely ecstatic\u201d about Labor\u2019s announcement, saying the larger figure \u201copens up more possibilities\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in the clear. There was lots of excitement about the first commitment, but now it\u2019s bipartisan, we\u2019re rapt and we can relax a little bit now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll have to sit down and think about what\u2019s the best way to use that funding.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LABOR has bettered the Coalition\u2019s pledge to Bellbrae Primary School, promising to deliver $9.1 million in upgrades if the party retains government at November\u2019s state election. Education Minister James Merlino visited the school on Thursday to announce the money would go towards a new competition-grade gym, upgrading the school\u2019s oval, and building new open learning […]<\/p>\n