Michael Sukkar MP

Labor, Look in the Mirror and Stop Attacking Local School Communities

Michael Sukkar, Federal Member for Deakin, today urged the Labor Party to stop its lousy attack on Nunawading’s Mount Pleasant Road Primary School community for demolishing a BER building deemed inadequate for student needs.

Mr Sukkar said the school council had decided to replace the hall as part of a major redevelopment, funded by the State Liberal Government, because a structural engineer had advised the building could not accommodate growing student numbers.

“This was not an easy decision for the school community to make but the former Federal Labor Government only refurbished the 1950s hall through the so-called Building Education Revolution, when it clearly needed to be rebuilt to cater for the school’s future needs,” Mr Sukkar said.

“The building’s certificate of occupancy restricts the floor loading, making it unsafe for greater student numbers. Unfortunately, the rushed and mismanaged process by the former Labor Government failed to make provision for a future school rebuild, which the whole community knew was desperately needed.

“The former Labor Member needs to take a long hard look in the mirror before he comes out attacking the school’s decision.

“The BER was an absolute debacle, from beginning to end, beset by mismanagement, cost and time over-runs, and waste.

“This hall is yet another example of Labor getting it wrong and failing to deliver a building that serves the long-term needs of the students and school community.”

Mr Sukkar praised Mitcham Liberal MP Dee Ryall for securing $5.1 million from the State Government to undertake a significant rebuild of the school’s facilities.

“This school has waited a long time for a major upgrade of its buildings and I know the school community is excited about the prospect of new classrooms and facilities that will cater for their current and future needs,” he said.

“Rather than attacking the hard-working school community and parents on Mount Pleasant Road Primary School’s council, Labor should apologise for its mismanagement and waste of precious taxpayer dollars.”

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Media contact: Kate Bruce-Rosser on (03) 9874 1711.