Families in Officer will soon have the quality new local school they deserve, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s unprecedented investments in the Education State.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today announced Officer Brunt Road Primary School (interim name) will be one of 14 new schools to open across the state in 2024, thanks to an investment of $527.2 million in the Victorian Budget 2022/23.
When complete, Officer Brunt Road Primary School will welcome 650 students to support the growing south-east.
In the past eight years, the Labor Government has invested $12.8 billion in building new schools and more than 1,850 school upgrades, creating around 17,400 jobs in construction and associated industries.
The Government is well ahead of schedule in its work to deliver 100 new schools between 2019 and 2026, with 75 new schools opening between 2019 and 2024.
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“We are building a modern new school to ensure Officer students and their families have access to a great education close to home in the Education State.”
“You can't get a first-rate education in a second-rate classroom – this new school will be critical for young families in Officer who are embarking on their educational journey.”
“Only our government will deliver an education system that supports every Victorian child to reach their full potential, no matter whether they attend a specialist school or a mainstream school.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“We promised we’d open 100 new schools across the state to make sure every family has access to a fantastic education, close to home – and that’s exactly what we’ve done, with another 14 on the way – including Officer Brunt Road.”
The Andrews Labor Government is putting patients first in Eastern Victoria.
Across our nation – and around the world – the pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on health systems. From a sharp increase of critical COVID patients to disrupted care, resulting in longer hospital recovery time, the last two years have really knocked our health system around.
When we came to government, we put an end to the war on our paramedics. We took ambulance response times from the worst in our history to the best. Now – just like we did before – we’ll ease the pandemic pressure on our hospitals and our healthcare workers.
The Victorian Budget 2022/23 will invest over $12 billion to put patients first, with a Pandemic Repair Plan for more staff, better hospitals and first-class care.
Our healthcare workers have been on the frontline of this pandemic, and we know how important it is that we support them into the future.
We’re backing our healthcare workers with training and the extra pair of helping hands they need, so they can give you the very best care.
That’s why the Budget is delivering funding to train and hire up to 7,000 new healthcare workers, including 5,000 nurses.
We’ll provide 1,125 new Registered Undergraduate Nursing Positions and 75 new Registered Undergraduate Student of Midwifery roles over the next two years, and we’re also recruiting up to 2,000 ex-pat and international healthcare workers through a global workforce recruitment drive.
Right around the nation, demand for emergency services is at an all-time high. Our Triple Zero call-takers and dispatchers are dealing with unprecedented call volumes.
But when you call for an ambulance, every Victorian should have the confidence one will arrive. That’s why we’re delivering another 90 paramedics – which means we've added 790 extra paramedics to the workforce since we came to government.
And to help our frontline workers reach Victorians who need help faster, we’re investing $333 million to add nearly 400 new staff to increase Triple Zero call-taking and dispatch capacity for Triple Zero services, including ambulances, and training more operators to allocate calls across the state.
This Budget invests in regional health – because regional Victorians deserve the same level of care as people in Melbourne. At the centre of the plan is a $300m injection to upgrade regional hospitals and healthcare facilities in every corner of our state, the largest Regional Health and Infrastructure Fund boost since it was created by the Andrews Labor Government. From operating theatre refurbishments, new waiting rooms and hospital beds, to life saving medical equipment.
We’re also providing $9 million to regional women’s health services and a further $11.5 million to deliver group parenting sessions to support families with children struggling with their mental health. Because no matter where you live, every Victorian and their family deserves great healthcare.
As we roll-out our Pandemic Repair Plan to make sure people in Eastern Victoria get the care they deserve, we're also getting on with delivering the schools, roads and public transport services they rely on.
The first ever Royal Commission into Mental Health told us that when it to comes to accessing mental health care, Victorians don’t know where to turn, or who to turn to – which is why having a nearby mental health service in your local community can make all the difference. That’s why we’re getting on with delivering four mental health and alcohol and other drug hubs, including a new hub at the emergency department at Latrobe Regional Hospital – so that Victorians and their loved ones struggling with mental health get the care they need close to their families and communities.
You can't get a first-rate education, in a second-rate classroom. It’s why we’re going to upgrade Coldstream Primary School with $2.4 million to bring buildings at the school into the 21st century and Yinnar Primary School will receive $7.3 million to upgrade the school and stadium – because under the Andrews Labor Government, we're giving every child the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
Local families deserve great local schools and in Eastern Victoria they will get them. We’re building a brand-new school, opening for Term 1, 2024, for 650 kids in the growing community of Officer – Officer Brunt Road Primary school (interim name), giving kids great classrooms for a great education – and at the same time creating local jobs to build them.
We’re also getting on with planning for the future of Victorian families in the community of Pakenham by securing land for the future Pakenham North West Primary School (interim name), so that more kids get to go to a great school, with great teachers, close to home.
Students with special needs should receive the same opportunities as every other student in our state. In this Budget, we're upgrading 36 special schools, including a $3.7 million upgrade at Officer Specialist School and $6.6 million upgrade at Warragul and District Specialist School to give students new permanent classrooms. This will mean every single special school in Victoria will have received funding for a major upgrade since we came to government.
To make sure every young Victorian gets the education they need for the career they want, the new VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate will replace VCAL, offering students more choices, a higher-quality curriculum and better workplace experiences – preparing students to jump into further study, training at TAFE or work as soon as they leave school.
The VCAL reforms will save many Victorian families up to $1,000 by cutting out-of-pocket costs, with students no longer having to pay for essential learning materials for VET studies.
Devastating bushfires, floods and natural disasters have highlighted how important it is that our state is prepared, connected and resourced to deliver quick and efficient emergency responses. So we're increasing capacity of our emergency service operators and workforce to look after us, in our hour of need and working with communities to better prepare and recover from natural disasters now and into the future.
We're bringing the Commonwealth Games back to Victoria in 2026. These Games will be unlike any before in the history of the Commonwealth Games – they will be held in regional centres across the state – with a focus on athlete hubs including in Gippsland. This will offer the opportunity for regional cities and towns to host major events, tourism, arts, culture, and sport well beyond the Commonwealth Games – and help deliver the triple benefit of creating local jobs and housing and boosting regional economies too.
Local communities deserve great places to play sport and under the Andrews Labor Government, they will have them. We're investing $88 million to build, upgrade and renovate community sporting infrastructure across Victoria, including at Traralgon Recreation Reserve where $2.75 million is provided to repair flood damage. We’re also investing $1 million for a new skate park at Worrell Reserve in Emerald and $500,000 for a new scoreboard and change rooms at Hughes Park in Croydon North.
We know better roads get us where we need to go sooner and safer – and building them creates new jobs for Victorians. It's why this Budget delivers funding towards a northbound overtaking lane between Morwell and Mirboo North on the Strzelecki Highway, improving safety and connectivity for local commuters. This Budget also delivers $7.7 million to seal Ryan Road in Pakenham East, improving access to the new train station at Pakenham East and removing the need to detour through local streets.
With this Budget, we’re continuing to back the Latrobe Valley, with $7.5 million for the Latrobe Valley Authority to keep supporting the local community and the growth of new jobs – including continued business concierge services, the Ladder Step Up program and further economic transition planning for workers.
In this Budget, we’ll keep supporting our growing suburbs, with an additional $50 million for our Growing Suburbs Fund so we can continue building health and wellbeing hubs, new parks, and community centres in our growing suburban and peri-urban communities. We will also continue to deliver local initiatives so that Lilydale can flourish through the Lilydale Suburban Revitalisation Board.
We know that many Victorians are still paying too much for their energy bills – that’s why we’re stepping in to help families get the best deal. We're providing a once-off $250 payment for all Victorian households that use the Victorian Energy Compare (VEC) website – the Victorian Government’s independent price comparator website – to search for the cheapest electricity plan that suits their needs.
With this Budget, we’re getting on with delivering for all Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“We’re giving our healthcare workers the tools they need to make sure every single Victorian patient gets the world-class care they deserve, close to home, with the support of their loved ones.”
“We have a strong track record when it comes to delivering for workers in Gippsland, including through the Latrobe Valley Authority – not just creating jobs and supporting local projects, but to support the needs of workers and their families.”
“We’re delivering new and upgraded schools across Eastern Victoria, so that kids get the best start in life.”
The Andrews Labor Government is putting patients first in Eastern Victoria.
Across our nation – and around the world – the pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on health systems. From a sharp increase of critical COVID patients to disrupted care, resulting in longer hospital recovery time, the last two years have really knocked our health system around.
When we came to government, we put an end to the war on our paramedics. We took ambulance response times from the worst in our history to the best. Now – just like we did before – we’ll ease the pandemic pressure on our hospitals and our healthcare workers.
The Victorian Budget 2022/23 will invest over $12 billion to put patients first, with a Pandemic Repair Plan for more staff, better hospitals and first-class care.
Our healthcare workers have been on the frontline of this pandemic, and we know how important it is that we support them into the future.
We’re backing our healthcare workers with training and the extra pair of helping hands they need, so they can give you the very best care.
That’s why the Budget is delivering funding to train and hire up to 7,000 new healthcare workers, including 5,000 nurses.
We’ll provide 1,125 new Registered Undergraduate Nursing Positions and 75 new Registered Undergraduate Student of Midwifery roles over the next two years, and we’re also recruiting up to 2,000 ex-pat and international healthcare workers through a global workforce recruitment drive.
Right around the nation, demand for emergency services is at an all-time high. Our Triple Zero call-takers and dispatchers are dealing with unprecedented call volumes.
But when you call for an ambulance, every Victorian should have the confidence one will arrive. That’s why we’re delivering another 90 paramedics – which means we've added 790 extra paramedics to the workforce since we came to government.
And to help our frontline workers reach Victorians who need help faster, we’re investing $333 million to add nearly 400 new staff to increase Triple Zero call-taking and dispatch capacity for Triple Zero services, including ambulances, and training more operators to allocate calls across the state.
This Budget invests in regional health – because regional Victorians deserve the same level of care as people in Melbourne. At the centre of the plan is a $300m injection to upgrade regional hospitals and healthcare facilities in every corner of our state, the largest Regional Health and Infrastructure Fund boost since it was created by the Andrews Labor Government. From operating theatre refurbishments, new waiting rooms and hospital beds, to life saving medical equipment.
We’re also providing $9 million to regional women’s health services and a further $11.5 million to deliver group parenting sessions to support families with children struggling with their mental health. Because no matter where you live, every Victorian and their family deserves great healthcare.
As we roll-out our Pandemic Repair Plan to make sure people in Eastern Victoria get the care they deserve, we're also getting on with delivering the schools, roads and public transport services they rely on.
The first ever Royal Commission into Mental Health told us that when it to comes to accessing mental health care, Victorians don’t know where to turn, or who to turn to – which is why having a nearby mental health service in your local community can make all the difference. That’s why we’re getting on with delivering four mental health and alcohol and other drug hubs, including a new hub at the emergency department at Latrobe Regional Hospital – so that Victorians and their loved ones struggling with mental health get the care they need close to their families and communities.
You can't get a first-rate education, in a second-rate classroom. It’s why we’re going to upgrade Coldstream Primary School with $2.4 million to bring buildings at the school into the 21st century and Yinnar Primary School will receive $7.3 million to upgrade the school and stadium – because under the Andrews Labor Government, we're giving every child the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
Local families deserve great local schools and in Eastern Victoria they will get them. We’re building a brand-new school, opening for Term 1, 2024, for 650 kids in the growing community of Officer – Officer Brunt Road Primary school (interim name), giving kids great classrooms for a great education – and at the same time creating local jobs to build them.
We’re also getting on with planning for the future of Victorian families in the community of Pakenham by securing land for the future Pakenham North West Primary School (interim name), so that more kids get to go to a great school, with great teachers, close to home.
Students with special needs should receive the same opportunities as every other student in our state. In this Budget, we're upgrading 36 special schools, including a $3.7 million upgrade at Officer Specialist School and $6.6 million upgrade at Warragul and District Specialist School to give students new permanent classrooms. This will mean every single special school in Victoria will have received funding for a major upgrade since we came to government.
To make sure every young Victorian gets the education they need for the career they want, the new VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate will replace VCAL, offering students more choices, a higher-quality curriculum and better workplace experiences – preparing students to jump into further study, training at TAFE or work as soon as they leave school.
The VCAL reforms will save many Victorian families up to $1,000 by cutting out-of-pocket costs, with students no longer having to pay for essential learning materials for VET studies.
Devastating bushfires, floods and natural disasters have highlighted how important it is that our state is prepared, connected and resourced to deliver quick and efficient emergency responses. So we're increasing capacity of our emergency service operators and workforce to look after us, in our hour of need and working with communities to better prepare and recover from natural disasters now and into the future.
We're bringing the Commonwealth Games back to Victoria in 2026. These Games will be unlike any before in the history of the Commonwealth Games – they will be held in regional centres across the state – with a focus on athlete hubs including in Gippsland. This will offer the opportunity for regional cities and towns to host major events, tourism, arts, culture, and sport well beyond the Commonwealth Games – and help deliver the triple benefit of creating local jobs and housing and boosting regional economies too.
Local communities deserve great places to play sport and under the Andrews Labor Government, they will have them. We're investing $88 million to build, upgrade and renovate community sporting infrastructure across Victoria, including at Traralgon Recreation Reserve where $2.75 million is provided to repair flood damage. We’re also investing $1 million for a new skate park at Worrell Reserve in Emerald and $500,000 for a new scoreboard and change rooms at Hughes Park in Croydon North.
We know better roads get us where we need to go sooner and safer – and building them creates new jobs for Victorians. It's why this Budget delivers funding towards a northbound overtaking lane between Morwell and Mirboo North on the Strzelecki Highway, improving safety and connectivity for local commuters. This Budget also delivers $7.7 million to seal Ryan Road in Pakenham East, improving access to the new train station at Pakenham East and removing the need to detour through local streets.
With this Budget, we’re continuing to back the Latrobe Valley, with $7.5 million for the Latrobe Valley Authority to keep supporting the local community and the growth of new jobs – including continued business concierge services, the Ladder Step Up program and further economic transition planning for workers.
In this Budget, we’ll keep supporting our growing suburbs, with an additional $50 million for our Growing Suburbs Fund so we can continue building health and wellbeing hubs, new parks, and community centres in our growing suburban and peri-urban communities. We will also continue to deliver local initiatives so that Lilydale can flourish through the Lilydale Suburban Revitalisation Board.
We know that many Victorians are still paying too much for their energy bills – that’s why we’re stepping in to help families get the best deal. We're providing a once-off $250 payment for all Victorian households that use the Victorian Energy Compare (VEC) website – the Victorian Government’s independent price comparator website – to search for the cheapest electricity plan that suits their needs.
With this Budget, we’re getting on with delivering for all Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“We’re giving our healthcare workers the tools they need to make sure every single Victorian patient gets the world-class care they deserve, close to home, with the support of their loved ones.”
“We have a strong track record when it comes to delivering for workers in Gippsland, including through the Latrobe Valley Authority – not just creating jobs and supporting local projects, but to support the needs of workers and their families.”
“We’re delivering new and upgraded schools across Eastern Victoria, so that kids get the best start in life.”
The Andrews Labor Government has completed its multimillion-dollar upgrade of TAFE Gippsland’s Warragul campus, giving local jobseekers the chance to train in world-class facilities before entering a rewarding career.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today officially opened the Queen Street redevelopment as part of the $6.25 million Labor Government upgrade of the Warragul and Morwell campuses to cater for a growing number of student enrolments at TAFE Gippsland.
The Warragul upgrades feature a brand-new campus entrance, fit-for-purpose flexible training space with multipurpose teaching areas, two healthcare simulation laboratories and refurbished staff accommodation.
Students will have access to world-class equipment including mannequins for simulated patient care, digital learning technology and early childhood tools.
Works were undertaken by Becon Constructions, with 18 local workers and two apprentices.
The upgraded campus will support significant student growth at TAFE Gippsland, which recorded nearly 2000 Free TAFE enrolments at the end of June last year, a 17 per cent increase on the previous year.
Among the most popular courses offered by TAFE Gippsland is Early Childhood Education and Care, with commencements almost tripling since Free TAFE began in 2019.
The Labor Government has invested $4.3 million towards the TAFE Gippsland campus upgrades as part of the $55 million TAFE Asset Maintenance Fund. It includes $1.4 million to undertake building and car park works at the Morwell campus.
Since 2014, the Labor Government has made a record $3.2 billion investment to rebuild TAFE and support universities and higher education to ensure Victorians have access to high quality education and rewarding career pathways.
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“Our upgrades to TAFE Gippsland campuses are already an absolute game changer across the region and the Warragul campus upgrade now means that more students can get world-class training for meaningful careers closer to home, and closer to where they want to work.”
“TAFE Gippsland was one of the largest casualties under the former Liberal National Government’s cuts to the skills and training sector – so it’s with great pride that TAFE is flourishing under Labor and our record investment in skills and training.”
Quote attributable to TAFE Gippsland CEO Grant Radford
“Our vocational students and staff now have access to new and high-quality learning spaces, enhanced accommodation and better facilities as a result of the significant investment by the Victorian Government.”
[gallery size="medium" ids="7735,7740,7736,7734,7739,7738"]
Work is progressing on the Andrews Labor Government’s bigger and better Latrobe Regional Hospital, delivering around 600 jobs and ensuring residents in the Latrobe Valley have access to the high-quality care they need, closer to home.
Minister for Health Martin Foley and Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing visited Latrobe Regional Hospital today and announced the $217 million project is on track to be completed in late 2023.
The expansion will deliver a new emergency department resuscitation bay, three operating suites, six intensive care unit beds, 14 medical and surgical beds, 44 inpatient beds, a medical imaging and pathology unit and a central sterile services department.
Maternity services are also being expanded with the addition of two new birthing suites, six maternity beds, six special care nursery cots and a kids play area – ensuring more mums can give birth closer to home.
Once complete the expansion will allows for an additional 6,200 elective surgeries per year.
Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with Latrobe Regional Hospital and Built, the massive expansion will help to meet the region's increasing and complex health demands and is part of the Labor Government’s master plan for delivering improved health services throughout the Gippsland region.
A $73 million expansion of the Latrobe Regional Hospital (Stage 2) was completed in 2017 and delivered 30 new acute inpatient beds, 12 new short stay beds, a new emergency department and Gippsland’s first cardiac catheterisation laboratory.
The Andrews Labor Government has invested more than $133 billion in Victoria’s healthcare system and the workers who support it.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Martin Foley
“This expansion means Latrobe Regional Hospital can meet the needs of a growing community ensuring patients don’t have to travel to Melbourne for complex procedures.”
“It’s vital that our regional areas have the health facilities they need to care for the local community – we’re delivering the very best healthcare for Victorians no matter where they live.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“We are absolutely determined to invest in a strong and healthy future for Gippsland and to support the ongoing delivery of world-class clinical and patient care in the Latrobe Valley.”
“This expansion will create hundreds of local jobs and ensure people in Gippsland get into surgery sooner, with modern world-class facilities they deserve.”
Young people across the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland will get the support they need to recover from drug and alcohol addiction, with construction complete on a new state-of-the-art alcohol and drug residential rehabilitation facility in Traralgon by the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Health Martin Foley and Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today officially opened the new 20-bed, multi-million-dollar youth-specific rehabilitation facility on Northern Avenue.
Designed to create a welcoming and healing atmosphere for individuals and their loved ones, the facility provides a structured therapeutic and home-like environment where young people experiencing addiction can develop coping skills and address underlying issues to overcome their alcohol and other drug use.
The 20-bed residential facility, catering for young Victorians between the ages of 16 and 21, provides 24-hour care and support for people who have been through withdrawal or stabilisation and need to continue their treatment.
The facility supports young people to reintegrate back into the community and access educational and vocational training and employment skills – a vital component of making positive and long-lasting change possible.
With a mix of single and double bedrooms with shared bathrooms, it also includes administration and consulting facilities, lounge and dining areas and indoor and outdoor activity areas.
It means young people in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland region seeking help for alcohol and drug dependencies can get access to the right treatment sooner, without needing to travel long distances or leave their support networks.
The new facility is part of a $52.1 million investment by the Labor Government to build three new alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation facilities in regional Victoria, which will provide care and support to an additional 900 Victorians every year.
Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA), the facility is part of the Government’s plan to tackle alcohol and drug abuse, with more than $180 million invested as part of the Ice Action Plan and $87 million through the Drug Rehabilitation Plan.
Quote attributable to Minister for Health Martin Foley
“Addiction has a devastating impact on local communities – particularly in regional Victoria. This new facility in Traralgon will create lasting change in young people’s lives and help them stay connected to their community.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“We know there is increasing demand for drug and alcohol support services and this new facility will help many young Victorians in Gippsland get the support they need close to home so they can get their lives back on track.”
[gallery link="none" size="full" ids="7695,7696,7697"]
