Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government is making significant investments in local schools and in the future of our children. I am especially proud that the Albanese government's Schools Upgrade Fund is investing over $200,000 in projects in my electorate of Brand, right across the schools in Rockingham and Kwinana. This funding will ensure that schools in my electorate are properly equipped to provide the best possible learning environments for all students.

I want to highlight some of these exciting upgrades that are underway or in fact completed. The Port Kennedy Primary School will receive new IT equipment, enhancing digital learning opportunities for students. St Vincent's primary school in Kwinana will get a new outdoor playground, providing a safe space for children to play and learn in the great outdoors. Charthouse Primary School in Waikiki are having their air-conditioning and ventilation systems upgraded, and funding will also provide for necessary maintenance and make for a more comfortable learning environment. The Peel Language Development School in Rockingham Lakes will get new outdoor learning spaces and shade structures. Rivergums Primary School and Tuart Rise Primary School in Baldivis, Rockingham Senior High School Education Support Centre, Waikiki Primary School and Warnbro Community High School Education Support Centre are all receiving shade structure installations or upgrades to provide important sun-safe areas for students.

These projects are essential investments in the future of children and students right across the growing suburbs of Brand. This is $200,000 of real money that will go directly to supporting the projects that schools need and that schools want to make sure they have environments where all of the students can learn and thrive and grow, and that is what Labor governments are all about supporting.

Recently my husband, Jamie, and I had the privilege of attending a fantastic event in my electorate, the Thaipusam Chariot Festival at the Perth Bala Murugan Hindu temple in Mandogalup, an absolutely magnificent event. It is a Tamil Hindu festival celebrated on the first full-moon day of the Tamil month of Thai. It is one of the temple's largest events and included an incredible chariot procession that went around the perimeter of the temple—great fun and an honour to celebrate with festival-goers.

It's wonderful to have the Bala Murugan Hindu temple in my electorate. It's a really welcoming facility catering to the Hindu community in Rockingham and Kwinana, and the Hindu community right across the whole of Perth. The Labor government is supporting the temple through its Securing Faith-Based Places program because this government is committed to ensuring that people of all faiths in Australia can live and practise their faith free from violence and discrimination. This funding will help the Mandogalup Hindu temple to upgrade its security and infrastructure to make sure everyone can enjoy their faith in peace.

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