TRANSCRIPT:
My question today is for the Minister for Education, and I ask:
Will the minister come to Kilmore to listen to concerns of the community about local education and see the grounds of the former Colmont School?
This former school campus is ready-made, conveniently on the market and has the opportunity to provide a cost-effective solution to a very real issue for this town.
A petition launched by me and Kilmore resident Jesse Coombe has called on the government to purchase this site, and it has already reached nearly 3000 signatures. Jesse’s dedication to this cause comes from his 13-year-old daughter Armani, who travels over 2 hours each day to get to and from her school.
Kilmore is the largest town in Victoria without a government secondary school, and it is completely unacceptable that our families are having to fight tooth and nail just to have access to an essential right like an education.
Kilmore is continuing to grow, and by not taking immediate action the government will leave it too late.
Minister, just moments ago you said, and I quote, you are ‘committed to ensuring’ students have access to schools in their area.