A damning report by Victoria’s independent auditor has revealed the condition of Victorian schools is deteriorating under the Allan Labor Government, with regional Victorian schools among the most disadvantaged.
The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said the findings of the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) Delivering School Upgrade Projects report confirmed what many regional families and school communities had feared for years.
The audit found:
- 29 per cent of school upgrades experienced cost blowouts.
- 25 per cent of projects were delayed.
- The number of schools in poor condition increased from 182 to 221 in just two years.
- The government’s target of having no schools in poor condition has been pushed back from 2030 to 2034.
- Schools are not always selected for upgrades in line with existing prioritisation guidelines.
“Having access to safe, modern and well-maintained learning facilities should not depend on your postcode,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Every child deserves access to a good local school, but this report makes it clear that Labor is failing to prioritise the schools that need support most.”
Ms Cleeland said the findings would come as no surprise to many school communities across the Euroa electorate who continue to deal with ageing facilities and long-overdue infrastructure upgrades.
“Parents, students and teachers across our region are living this reality every day,” she said.
“The report identified Winton Primary School, Broken Creek Primary School and Peranbin Primary College’s Violet Town campus as being in poor condition.
“Broadford Secondary College portable classrooms are operating off generators, Seymour College is still waiting for adequate air conditioning in new classrooms, and many schools continue to raise concerns about ageing infrastructure, mould, asbestos and maintenance issues.
“These are basic expectations that every student should be able to rely on when they walk into a classroom.”
The report also found smaller schools with lower enrolments are often less likely to receive major upgrades, despite requiring significant investment to maintain facilities.
“Regional families should not be punished because they choose to live outside Melbourne or because their local school has lower enrolment numbers,” Ms Cleeland said.
“When schools are not being selected based on need, regional communities inevitably miss out.”
Ms Cleeland said the report raised serious questions about Labor’s management of education infrastructure and whether taxpayer funds were being directed where they would have the greatest impact.
“Parents expect funding decisions to be fair, transparent and based on need, not political convenience,” she said.
“I will continue fighting to ensure students across the Euroa electorate receive the same opportunities and quality learning environments as students anywhere else in Victoria.”
