Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to speak on the Local Schools Community Fund, which is a $30 million initiative of the Morrison government announced in this year's budget. It's designed to assist local schools, students and communities through funding contributions for small-scale projects. Two hundred thousand dollars will be made available to each electorate around the country, and it's open to all schools: public, Catholic and independent. Schools can apply for funding for one project per campus between $1,000 and $20,000, and schools composed of multiple campuses may submit an application for each campus. Applications open tomorrow, 25 July, and I will be writing to all school principals in Canning encouraging them to apply for this great grant. Applications will be open until 30 September and then assessed in consultation with a local advisory committee. Successful applicants will be notified in December, and funds will be provided for projects to commence from then onwards.

This is just another example of the Morrison government's strong commitment to Australian schools and to improving them and making them stronger and better for students into the future. Our guaranteed funding commitment invests an additional $37 billion in education over the next decade, to 2029. This increases average funding per student in Australia by 62 per cent over the decade. We've also committed $660 million to 2020-21 through the Capital Grants Program, which supports the construction of important school infrastructure. A good example of this in Canning is $950,000 in December 2018 towards the construction of the Court Grammar School's performing arts centre. This is a school in the heart of the shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale.

But the government understands there are often smaller-scale projects that schools would like to address which often get overlooked and pushed down the priorities of these grants. It might be the small-scale extensions or classroom refurbishments, new computer facilities, playground equipment, library resources or sports facilities. I've certainly come to understand this challenge from school principals throughout my electorate, and that's why I'm so supportive of this grant, and that's why I encourage as many schools as possible in Canning to submit an application for this grant.

In closing, I commend the Prime Minister and the Minister for Education for this initiative, and I encourage all schools in Canning to apply. I look forward to hearing from them all.