Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to discuss education in my electorate of La Trobe. I believe that, as far as education is concerned, choice is paramount. One of the unique things about La Trobe, and particularly the hills area, is the strong tradition of home schooling. I recently visited the Coonara Community School in Upper Ferntree Gully. The school has an enrolment of only 20 students and has retained strong links with its home schooling beginnings over 30 years. There is a strong sense of community at Coonara Community School. Enrolments require significant commitment from parents, who are expected to volunteer half a day a week. This can also involve anything from assisting in the classroom or taking school excursions.

The occasion of my visit to the school was the opening of its new capital works, new administration area, new classroom and new amenity facilities. This $285,000 project was jointly funded by the Australian government and the local community. The Australian government was able to contribute $185,000 under the capital grants program. The local community raised the other $110,000. Such a large contribution from a small school is an amazing effort. It shows that the school has put down deep roots in the local community. The Coonara Community School does not receive preferential treatment; it receives per capita state and federal government funding on the same basis as other private schools.

I would particularly like to applaud the great work of the Head of Teachers, Ms Tracey Hallam, and the Directors of Coonara school, Mr Garry Maisey, Ms Rhonda Yates, Mrs Kerri Filgate and Mr Jason Hall. The Coonara Community School has tailored student by student approaches and provides a wonderful education resource outside the traditional state and private school systems. The school continues to produce balanced, independent young people ready for their passage into secondary school and adulthood. The Coonara Community School is an example of why choice in education is so important.

I would also like to thank the students whom I met on the day. They were very warm. They also embraced the Australian anthem, which I thought was absolutely fantastic. On behalf of the Australian government, I was able to provide the school with a new flag—something the children will absolutely cherish, which I believe is vitally important. I congratulate our government on making flags and flag poles available in schools, as has occurred at the Coonara school before. In closing, I would like to congratulate all of those from the Coonara Community School. They have done a fantastic job. I say to them: well done.

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