Beverley McArthur MP
Member for Western Victoria Region
Media Statement
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VSBA - Dictatorship or Servant of the People
Member for Western Victoria Region, Bev McArthur has written to the Minister for Education, The Hon. James Merlino MP, asking for clarification regarding the actions of the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) in underspending on an unwanted Chilwell Primary School refurbishment, in Geelong.
The VSBA ignored the school community’s preferred solution of constructing a new two-story building, and persisted with its planned refurbishment of an old, asbestos-ridden building which will reduce the total teaching area of the school.
To make matters worse, the VSBA has underspent on the project by approximately $475,000 while the School community needs to spend its own hard earned funds to complete the job.
In her letter to the Minister, Mrs McArthur asked three primary questions:
1. “Can you provide the Chilwell Primary School community with an explanation as to why the developed refurbishment of the south wing at Chilwell Primary School, as designed, tendered and managed by the VSBA has an under spend of approximately $475,000.00?”
2. “Can you also provide the Chilwell Primary School community with an explanation as to why the VSBA has not listened to them, given that the under spend would have enabled the school community to build the double storey building solution as preferred by the Chilwell Primary School community?”
3. “And finally, can you please provide the Chilwell Primary School community with an explanation as to why the school is forced to use its hard earned fundraising money to complete this ‘not fit for purpose’ refurbishment, when there is a budget under spend on a project which does not meet the educational needs of the Chilwell School community now and into the future?”
Mrs McArthur also suggested that the Minister appreciate that Victorian taxpayers, hardworking school communities and volunteer School Councils deserve to be listened to and have the actions of government bureaucracies justified by a government that claims to serve them.
“The VSBA acts like a dictatorship not a servant of the people.”
15 May 2019
Contact: Bev McArthur MP 0418 593 169