Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was my pleasure to officially open a new community wellbeing and health services hub at Norfolk Village State School a few weeks ago. The building was fully funded, with $500,000 from the federal government's Community Development Grants Program. The facility will provide high-level health services for students with complex needs. These will include assessment, diagnosis, development of management plans, intervention, supervision and professional health guidance. I'm pleased to say this is the second such facility in the electorate of Forde, the first being at Eagleby State School, and I know what a tremendous success that that has been in the six months or so that it's been open.

The nearest hospitals are located some distance from Norfolk Village, resulting in many families having limited access to health providers by having to take time off work in order to take their children to appointments. The provision of a health hub at the school will make it far easier for students to receive care and to provide better outcomes for at-risk students. Initially, this investment will see more than 300 students and their families provided with these high-level health services, with room to grow into the future.

To work with our communities to try and leave a legacy for the future is one of the great privileges we have in this role. I'd like to congratulate everyone at Norfolk Village State School, starting with former principal Sam Donovan, whose out-of-the-box thinking conceived this idea; current principal Steve Kummerow; Alana; Adi; and the whole team turning this into a success.