A Majority Labor Government will allocate $50 million in a Neglected Schools Fund to repair and rebuild critical school infrastructure that has been disgracefully ignored by the Liberals for the past seven years.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said it was unacceptable that the Liberals had made significant promises but utterly failed at delivery on new schools and existing school infrastructure since coming to government in 2014.
"This $50 million fund will deliver the schools that Tasmanian kids and their families need and deserve," Ms White said.
"Under Peter Gutwein, who has been the Treasurer across the entire seven years of the Liberals, this government has made an art form of making announcements around new schools and fixing existing schools and then totally failing to deliver.
"Under the Liberal Government schools around Tasmania have been overlooked for urgent upgrades and repairs – schools like Montello Primary, Clarence High, Deloraine High, Lauderdale Primary, Risdon Vale Primary and Taroona Primary have been languishing on the Department of Education infrastructure priority list for many years.
"A Majority Labor Government will match all existing new school builds and major upgrades and provide an additional $50 million Neglected Schools Fund to help clear the backlog of Priority One infrastructure upgrades."
Ms White said Labor would also properly fund the Sorell School upgrade after the Liberals over-promised and under-delivered.
"Sorell was on the Priority One list in 2017 and the Liberals are yet to deliver on their underfunded promise. Labor will provide an additional $15 million to finally give the community the school facilities it needs, including a gym and upgraded performing arts centre."
Shadow Education Minister Josh Willie said Labor had a strong record delivering quality new Child and Family Centres, major school rebuilds and new schools while the Gutwein Government had shamelessly politicised school infrastructure with promises that are yet to be delivered.
"A Majority Labor Government will make the school infrastructure process fairer and get the program back on track," Mr Willie said.
"Despite not delivering one new school during their time in office, the Liberals have made schools a political football.
"That's not OK and it's not OK that there are schools that have been languishing on the Priority One list for many years.
"These are schools that are in disrepair. They have major issues with fundamental facilities like capacity, plumbing and toilets, soundproofing and leaking roofs that should have been taken care of years ago.
"Imagine how frustrating that is for these communities when they see their schools in urgent need of repairs - and nothing happens.
"That will end under a Labor Government."
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Education Minister
