Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about another great project in the electorate of Deakin, the opening of the Tinternvale Primary School multipurpose hall back on 15 December last year, which was the second last week of the school year and a very busy time. I would like to acknowledge some people who turned up to the opening ceremony for the work that they put in—Irene Harding, the principal of the school, who has done so much through the project, and also the previous principal, Lorraine Gamble, who was there when I first went out to the school to explain what the purpose of the BER was way back in 2009. It has been a long project and it is now finished. It was not easy. There were issues with flood levels from the nearby creek. Now that has all been resolved, it has really made the school. The school itself, like so many schools in my electorate, was built many years ago and has not had much major work done for decades. In fact, the last major work was done in 1978. That is a huge period of time for what is still a growing area in many ways, especially as the school was merged a couple of years ago after the closure of Croydon South Primary School and the migration of most of the children from that school across to Tinternvale.

The day itself could not have happened without the organisation of the school captains, Max Hoddinott and Maddie McQueen, and the school vice captains, Ben Brearley and Imogen Allchen. The school council president, Kelsey Phelan, and the previous school council president, Rod Teggelove, also spent a lot of time along the way to make sure that the school got the best project they could. The result now stands for itself.

Unusually for a school in my area, the full-size hall they now have is right out the front of the school and it really makes a difference. It has changed the whole outlook of the school. The school has also now received money under a state program for a partial rebuild and it is really looking up. What was looking quite neglected in some ways prior to this, with a great school inside, now looks like a great school from the outside as well. That is very important for all our schools because so much rides on what parents see at first glance. It should not be so, but many of us in this place know it is.

It was a particular pleasure to actually go out and open it on the day. The school children organised a miniature fair out the front so everyone could play games, throw balls and try to toss coins into rings, most of which I failed at quite spectacularly, but it did make them quite a bit of money. It was an enjoyable day and those sorts of things are really good for the local community and really good for the children to see. It is a great result and I congratulate Tinternvale Primary School on their building.