Narre Warren South Liberal candidate Michael Shepherdson, Judy Franklin from Kambrya School Council, Liberal candidate for South Eastern Metropolitan Region Inga Peulich, Opposition Education Spokesperson Martin Dixon and School Council president Sue Campbell.
By Rebecca Fraser
EDUCATION, kindergarten, technical schools and Casey’s growing population were all discussed when Opposition Education spokesman Martin Dixon visited last Friday.
Mr Dixon and Narre Warren South Liberal candidate Michael Shepherdson and Lyndhurst candidate Gary Anderton started the day meeting committee, staff and children at Strong Drive Preschool in Hampton Park.
Mr Shepherdson said many at the preschool were thrilled with the Liberal Party’s $730 grant to make kinder virtually free.
“Many parents in the area struggle to pay kinder fees.”
“This policy’s great because the City of Casey has one of the highest populations of children under age five in Australia,” Mr Shepherdson said.
Mr Dixon then visited Kambyra College in Berwick, where as of next year, 30 out of 72 classrooms will be portable, according to the Liberal Party.
“Kambyra College was originally built for a student population of 900 – but next year it’ll have 1600 kids and 200 teachers,” Mr Shepherdson said.
“Despite record growth and new families, the Bracks Government has no plans to build any new secondary schools in Casey.”
The candidates then visited vacant land in the Timbarra Estate, which coincided with the State opposition’s recent pledge to build a technical school and a school of excellence in the Narre Warren or Berwick area.
Narre Warren North Liberal candidate and Casey councillor Mick Morland said he was committed to seeing a secondary school built on the site.
He said the Liberal Party wanted the land used for educational purposes and he strongly supported this.
In his role as a Casey councillor, he said he was also heavily committed to seeing a sports stadium built on the land being purchased by council.
Last Friday, Minister for Sport and Recreation Justin Madden also visited the Timbarra Estate.
He said the Bracks Government had contributed $15,000 towards a feasibility study for the proposed sports stadium on land being bought by the City of Casey, which was annexed from the Timbarra site.
He said the development was needed for the growing community and the project had great potential.
Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan this week labeled the Liberal Party’s new school’s pledge a half commitment from a party that sacked teachers and closed schools.
“They can’t be trusted and they are not committed to providing an education for all families.”
In terms of select entry schools Mr Donnellan said he supported the idea of excellence in schools but would be concerned that most local residents could not access the school for their children.
In response to the State opposition’s pledge for a technical college Mr Donnellan said it was a case of too little too late.
“The Bracks Government Berwick Technical College will be open with 150 students in January 2007 in the spare land at Chisholm College. Currently the Liberal Party can’t say how much they will commit to build the technical college nor where it will be placed,” he said.
Narre Warren South Labor candidate Judith Graley said since 2000 $13.5 million had been invested in new buildings at Kambrya College, and four new classrooms had also been built this year.
