By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
SCHOOLS in the south-east have benefited from what State Treasurer Tim Pallas has labelled “the biggest education budget in Victoria’s history”.
Mr Pallas made mention in his 2015-’16 budget speech on Tuesday of a Cranbourne Secondary College student who said: “I love school but these classrooms are absolutely disgusting”.
“That’s about as sad as you get.
“While opening her eyes to the world, she’s turning her gaze away.
“That can’t happen here – not in our state, not in our schools.”
In the budget, Cranbourne Secondary College was allocated $1 million over two years for planning towards a $10 million upgrade.
The upgrade includes redeveloping its science and technology wing and new classrooms.
Hampton Park Primary School gets a $5 million upgrade of its administrative wing, art, library and computer rooms as well as a new science discovery centre.
Berwick Fields Primary School is also one of 62 state schools named for maintenance repairs and other upgrades.
The state’s “biggest increase in school funding” includes $178 million to help disadvantaged students go on school camps, get free eye tests and free breakfasts.
Mr Pallas said the government was also covering an $805 million federal shortfall in Gonski funding in 2016 and 2017.
Other budget announcements include $21 million for the final stage of the Thompsons Road duplication, and making good a $106 million state election pledge to upgrade Casey Hospital.
A new bus service between Cranbourne and Pearcedale was also announced, with more services and extended routes such as the 847 Berwick to Casey Central route stretching into the Glasscocks Road area.
Suburbs in Casey and Cardinia will share in a $50 million Interface Councils Infrastructure Fund covering 10 outer-suburban councils.
The fund will be used for multi-purpose facilities, community centres, and playgrounds.
The Endeavour Hills precinct revamp has received $50,000 towards redesigning the town square and kiosk.
The government will also commit to 20 E-class trams and 21 VLocity regional carriages built at Bombardier’s factory in Dandenong as part of a $2 billion rolling-stock package.
It has also announced funding for a conventional signalling upgrade on the Cranbourne-Pakenham rail corridor.
Mr Pallas said the larger Casey Hospital – to be completed in five years – would treat 12,000 more patients, perform 8000 more surgeries and support 500 more births.
Its new acute inpatient tower will include 96 extra beds, an intensive care unit and four operating theatres.
A $60 million elective surgery blitz across the state’s hospitals was also announced.
The Thompsons Road project, which duplicates two sections and seven kilometres of the arterial, is expected to be completed by June 2018.
The sections – between Dandenong-Frankston Road and South Gippsland Highway, and between Narre Warren-Cranbourne and Clyde roads – are used by 24,000 vehicles a day.
The funds include design, environmental studies, traffic modelling, identifying underground services and property surveys.
Cranbourne MP Jude Perera said the duplication would be a “significant boost” for a “key freight and transport corridor”.
“Labor started the duplication of this local main arterial, Labor is finishing the job.”
South Eastern Metropolitan Region MP Inga Peulich criticised the back-ending of funds for the Thompsons Road and Casey Hospital projects.
She said there was no construction money for the road in the next four years, and just $400,000 allocated to the hospital rebuild in 2015-’16.
Ms Peulich said the government failed to fund the removal of the Hallam Road level crossing over the next four years.
“Labor was elected to remove level crossings, rebuild Casey Hospital and duplicate Thompsons Road, and today’s budget fails on all three counts.”
