Promises of big spending on education in the northern growth suburbs came thick and fast last week from both sides of politics.
Opposition Leader Dan Andrews and Yan Yean’s Labor MP Danielle Green were in Mernda on Wednesday to announce an $87 million plan to buy land and build eight new schools in the state’s highest-growth areas.
The promised schools include a combined primary and secondary at Mernda, Edgars Creek Secondary at Wollert, senior schools at Point Cook and Taylors Hill, and primary schools at Craigieburn North West, Davis Creek at Tarneit, Armstrong Creek West near Geelong, and Gum Scrub Creek at Pakenham.
The state government took just 24 hours to sully Labor’s announcement, with treasurer Michael O’Brien describing it as “grossly underfunded”.
“Based on existing projects being delivered by the Napthine government, it is estimated that the cost to plan, design and construct eight new schools would be around $136 million,” Mr O’Brien said.
He said the government had announced a $223 million package for 13 new schools, spending on average $17 million on each.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Martin Dixon and Yan Yean Liberal candidate Sam Ozturk were on the campaign trail at Beveridge on Wednesday to announce $1.2 million to upgrade Beveridge Primary School.
They promised a re-elected Coalition government would complete maintenance and building works to deliver high-quality infrastructure and support the best teachers.
Mr Ozturk said the state government had delivered $41.3 million in capital funding for schools in Yan Yean, including $33.5 million for Hazel Glen P-12, $4.7 million for Whittlesea Secondary College, $1.6 million for Wallan Primary School and $1.5 million for Wattle Glen Primary School.
Last week, The Age published a leaked map showing more than a dozen schools were required to cope with expected demand in the outer-northern suburbs.
The Education Department later confirmed it had identified 14 school sites at Epping North and in the Mernda/Doreen growth corridors.
