Constituency question

Panton Hill Primary School near Hurstbridge should be reclassified as a rural school .

Ms MAXWELL (Northern Victoria) (12:51):

My question is to the Minister for Education.

I have been contacted by parents from the Panton Hill Primary School community who are concerned about the rezoning of their school from rural to metropolitan.

It has been reported to me that one of the implications will be a reduction in funding of 12 per cent to the school over four years, and this is a cut that the school cannot absorb. The new rural-metropolitan boundary is only 200 metres from the school, but the primary school is very much in a rural setting.

The school needs to purchase LPG for heating, has its own wastewater treatment system, needs funds for continued maintenance of its bushfire shelter and sprinkler system, and other costs not required in metropolitan schools.

Minister, I ask on behalf of the local school community if you will review the zoning and reinstate the rural classification and funding for Panton Hill Primary School.