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Ms ADDISON (Wendouree) (19:04): My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit my electorate of Wendouree to celebrate the practical completion of works at Mount Rowan Secondary College.

The minister is no stranger to Mount Rowan Secondary College, having visited the school on several occasions to see progress of our record investment into the school’s redevelopment. The Andrews Labor government most recently provided over $3.5 million in the 2019 state budget to upgrade and modernise school facilities. This included the refurbishment of the old administration areas, completing landscape work and resurfacing the existing courts. This funding was in addition to $12 million already delivered for Mount Rowan’s facilities by our government. I thank the Premier and the Minister for Education for their strong support for Mount Rowan Secondary College.

I have had the pleasure of visiting Mount Rowan on many occasions. It is an excellent school led by the inspirational principal, Seona Murnane, with dedicated teachers and support staff as well as terrific students.

I was able to attend both the school musical Fried and the end-of-year awards back in 2019 in the new auditorium, and staff, students and parents were very pleased with the investments being made at the school.

The recent work is not only good news for teachers and students but also local jobs. I thank Ballarat construction firm AW Nicholson and their contractors for the great work they have done. The school is looking fantastic.

With the values of pride, respect and excellence, Mount Rowan Secondary College is going from strength to strength, and the community is paying attention. The student population has more than doubled in size in the last nine years. These are the facilities that a growing school community deserves, and I am incredibly proud that our government, the Andrews Labor government, has supported this fantastic school. I look forward to welcoming the Minister for Education to Mount Rowan Secondary College for this important event very soon.

Read the Minister’s response here – or for more of my contributions in Parliament, click here.