LETTER TO THE EDITOR – EDUCATION FUNDING

Young people in regional Victoria have been overlooked by the Andrews Labor Government for far too long and, in May’s State Budget, The Nationals are calling for a fair investment in our community’s education and early childhood programs.

Last budget, only 13 percent of new infrastructure spending was specifically invested in regional towns and cities despite regional Victorians accounting for 25 percent of Victoria’s population. This budget, we demand more.

We want our fair share of spending to keep our schools up to scratch and we need policies that ensure regional families with young children have equitable access to childcare.

In the south of the electorate, Kilmore has a surging population but no public secondary college, Seymour College is still waiting for funding to complete its rebuild and Broadford Secondary College is absolutely bursting at the seams.

There is also a crisis in early childhood education with much of regional Victoria defined as a ‘childcare desert’ by the Mitchell Institute.

This budget must also invest in long-term solutions for our teaching and early childhood workforces.

Regional children and young people matter and your postcode should not define your opportunities, especially as a young Victorian.

This budget must rectify Labor’s long history of neglecting the communities beyond Melbourne’s tram tracks.