Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to begin by congratulating my state Labor colleagues on a remarkable win on Saturday, with very big congratulations, of course, to our Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews. The swings were bigger than expected and they came from everywhere across the state. They especially came from within traditional Liberal heartland seats. The Victorian election was a resounding affirmation that people in my electorate of Calwell and electorates across the state want governments to get on with the job of investing in the key areas of education, health and infrastructure because these are the areas of concern and of most importance to our communities. It also showed clearly that Australians want a united, stable government. They want governments who listen to them, who understand them and who get on with the job of delivering to them, as opposed to the infighting, division, instability and chaos that we are witnessing in this place day after day after day after day.

As it stands, Calwell is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, and it includes Australia's fastest-growing suburb, the suburb of Mickleham. Knowing this, the re-elected Andrews Labor government has committed to building six new schools in Calwell as part of its $850 million investment in education. In contrast, knowing this, the Victorian Liberal Party sat on its hands and did nothing to support and assist in the education of the children in my electorate. We shouldn't be surprised because a previous Liberal government, under Jeff Kennett, became infamous for shutting schools down and selling them off. Clearly, today's Liberals have not understood the message that investment in education is key to a community's aspiration and opportunities.

The six new, desperately needed schools that are being built in my electorate include: Aitken Hill Primary School, which will be opening in 2019; Craigieburn South Secondary School, opening in 2020; Greenvale North-West Primary School, opening in 2021; Merrifield West Primary School, opening in 2021; Greenvale Secondary College, opening in 2020; and Kalkallo Common Primary School, opening in 2022. The Greenvale Secondary College is one I'm particularly proud of. I want to thank the tireless efforts of our state member, the member for Yuroke, Ros Spence, and the Greenvale Progress Association for seeing the Barrymore Road site, which had stood vacant for decades, finally transformed into the much-needed school that is set to service the Greenvale community.

Earlier this year, I also took the opportunity to visit Tullamarine Primary School, who were in desperate need of more funding to repair the declining school buildings. I immediately spoke with my state colleague, the member for Sunbury, Josh Bull. He, along with the Minister for Education, James Merlino, did not hesitate to deliver $4.5 million into repairing the new buildings for the Tullamarine Primary School. I want to thank Josh for his efforts and contribution to a school which is experiencing increased enrolments year by year.

This sort of investment isn't saddling future communities with debt, nor is it playing catch-up or making choices from Liberal or Labor electorates. This is an investment that is for the future of our people, our local constituents. I'm really grateful to the Victorian Labor government for understanding the importance of education to my community because this federal government and their state counterparts do not. Instead, up here in Canberra, our Prime Minister has ripped $14 billion out of public schools in Australia. Our Prime Minister leads a government which has cut $572 million out of Victorian universities. In stark contrast, federal Labor has committed $804 million to Victorian public schools over the first three years of a Labor government. We will uncap undergraduate university places from 2020 and see approximately 50,000 more students attend universities, and this means more opportunities for my local young people.

My electorate is a fast-growing area, and infrastructure is paramount to our electorate. We've already seen a re-elected Andrews Labor government start work on their promise to build the North East Link that will ease traffic congestion in Calwell. (Time expired)

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