27 April 2016
The merging of Echuca Specialist School Echuca South Primary School and Echuca West Primary School took another step towards its long-awaited development with $11 million allocated to the project in today’s State Budget.
The Budget includes $4.9 million to be spent in the 2016-17 financial year with $6 million to come the following year. The project’s stage one completion date is listed as 2017-18.
(Budget Paper No 4 Page 30)
Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said he was encouraged that the project was finally on the Andrews Labor Government’s radar after months of lobbying.
Late last year Mr Walsh led a delegation of the schools’ principals to Melbourne where they met with Education Minister James Merlino and put forward the project’s masterplan.
“While this funding commitment is a step in the right direction I’m concerned that much more will be needed to build and consolidate the three schools onto a new greenfields site “ Mr Walsh said.
“Under the Liberal Nationals Coalition Government the new site was purchased $200 000 was allocated for planning and $25 million was committed in capital money to build this new learning environment.
“The devil will be in the detail and it remains to be seen what $11 million will be able to achieve.
“I congratulate the three school communities on their patience and their absolute commitment to seeing this project through.
“They have worked co-operatively and they have done everything the department has asked of them.
“I will continue to push the Andrews Labor Government to ensure that the students of Echuca Specialist School Echuca South Primary School and Echuca West Primary School are provided with state of the art purpose built facilities to take them into the future “ Mr Walsh said.