Linda White (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since my election May 2022 I have had the pleasure of visiting schools around Victoria to see the new facilities and spaces funded by the government's Capital Grants Program. The Capital Grants Program provides money to non-government schools to fund much-needed upgrades and new facilities.

My first visit was to Hillcrest Christian College in Clyde North to officially open the new primary multipurpose centre. The modern and light filled multipurpose centre includes a children's learning room for before- and after-school care and outdoor areas for learning and play. It's a facility that the whole community has access to after-hours and on weekends.

Next I was off to Little Yarra Steiner School in the heart of the Yarra Valley. This fantastic school was not only surrounded by a fabulous landscape but had the learning spaces to match. The new buildings are a kinder centre and a multipurpose gymnasium centre. The architecturally designed school meets the needs of each class and creates inspiring working and learning environments. It certainly reflects the Steiner philosophy of combining purpose with form and beauty.

My most recent visit was to St Patrick's School in Lilydale. It was a fitting visit on St Patrick's Day to see the fantastic upgrades to their learning spaces and courtyards. I even got to plant my first commemorative tree.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was the tree?

Linda White (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a gum. From a muddy and underused space, the central courtyard has become an amphitheatre of timber benches where the students can play, and sit and chat and eat their lunch. The upgrades to these schools are making a real difference and were rightly celebrated in the local community newspaper.

Over the next four years the government will be investing around $875 million on facilities at schools like Hillcrest, Little Yarra and St Patrick's, including over $42.2 million in Victoria this year. We want every Australian child, no matter where they grow up, to have the best schooling and facilities possible. Now I've two plaques and one tree under my belt, I can't wait to keep visiting schools that are getting much-needed funding for spaces that help our kids learn and grow.