Vic: $60m to fix up Vic schools

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2004
Vic: $60m to fix up Vic schools

By Nick Lenaghan, State Political Correspondent

MELBOURNE, April 29 AAP - Victorian schools will get a $60 million boost for maintenance
over two years in next week's state budget.

Announcing the extra funds today, Treasurer John Brumby said the increase came on top
of $34 million already provided for maintenance every year.

"There will be hundreds of schools across the state that benefit from this, with a
program that will start almost immediately," he said.

The funding will be spent on toilet upgrades, fire services, electrical upgrades, roofing,
asphalting and flooring.

Although the funds are part of the next budget, Education Services Minister Jacinta
Allan said $10 million would be released immediately, with the remainder to spent throughout
the second half of this year and next year.

But opposition education spokesman Victor Perton described the boost as "George Orwell's
newspeak" because the government had dramatically slashed maintenance spending over the
past two budgets.

Previously $100 million had been set aside each year for maintenance, Mr Perton said.

"Sixty million dollars doesn't go anywhere to maintaining the billions of dollars worth
of schools we've got," he said.

"This a recipe for the school buildings of the state to fall apart," he said.

A government spokesman later rejected Mr Perton's allegation of an effective cut to
maintenance as "based on ignorance and a lack of understanding" of state spending.

AAP nl/dk/tma

KEYWORD: EDUCATION VIC

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