What an investment

INVESTING in education, especially in our community of young families, is an investment in our future. In that vein, it is fantastic to see the Coalition’s investment in the young people of Cardinia come to fruition, with the opening of Officer Secondary College.
The new $24.5 million school, close to Officer Railway Station and at the heart of the growing Officer community is a major boost for local education. Cardinia Shire’s population is set to increase by about 93 per cent in the next 20 years, having this school built now will help to cater for the rapid growth.
After listening to the community’s concerns, we foresaw the challenges facing our expanding community and, from Opposition in 2010, made an election commitment to build a new secondary college for the growth corridor. I am pleased to say that we have now delivered on that commitment.
One of the criticisms often levelled at government is the failure to deliver infrastructure to match population growth; good planning and investment by the Coalition has seen this vital infrastructure delivered while Officer grows. Officer Secondary College, coupled with the co-located Officer Specialist School, will see education central to the town’s growth.
The two schools will be able to share facilities and programs and work together to ensure the best possible learning environment for all students in a state-of-the-art educational hub. I am pleased to see that stage two of the project, which was funded by the Coalition in the May 2013-’14 Budget, is well underway.
The teachers and students who are part of the school’s inaugural year have an opportunity to mould its culture and priorities, and we wish the school community every success for now and into the future.
Edward O’Donohue,
MLC Member for Eastern Victoria Region;
Brad Battin MP,
Member for Gembrook.