MP takes school fight to Parliament

THE fight for more schools in Pakenham has gone to Spring Street.
Bass MP Ken Smith last week tabled a petition in State Parliament calling for a primary school at Heritage Springs.
Mr Smith received the petition, carrying up to 1200 signatures, from local resident Barry Hodge.
As previously reported in the Gazette, Mr Hodge has led the push for a school to service children living in Heritage Springs and surrounding estates in Pakenham’s south.
Mr Smith said he strongly supported the move, which comes amid claims that statefunded education facilities in Pakenham are sadly lacking.
“The strain on education facilities in the Pakenham region is becoming greater with every new family moving to the area,” Mr Smith said in Parliament.
“Not one government school has been built in Pakenham in the past 10 years.”
Residents and Cardinia Shire Council have also recently spoken out about the need for new schools to service the fastgrowing population.
Councillors including Brett Owen and Kate Lempriere labelled the current situation a disgrace and urged residents to back their efforts to make education a leading issue at the state election.
Mr Smith said he had been campaigning on the issue for several months.
“The Pakenham school shortage has been a major concern to me for some time,” Mr Smith said.
“Those who are espousing the value of ‘people power’ should take note that it is already in action in the fight for a Heritage Springs primary school.”
The Bass MP said it was also appropriate that questions were asked of Education Minister Lynne Kosky and her senior departmental officers.
“Why have they allowed the situation in the Pakenham area to deteriorate to the point it has?” he said.
“There is absolutely no excuse for the incompetence which has lead to the state of affairs in Pakenham.”