School wins anyway

Cranbourne Liberal candidate Geoff Ablett and Premier Denis Napthine, pictured with Cranbourne Secondary College school captains Mene Vorster and Gerard Usaraga, visited the school to make a funding pledge on Tuesday. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By BRIDGET COOK

CRANBOURNE Secondary will be able to complete its much-needed modernisation project, whichever way this year’s State Election goes.
Premier Denis Napthine visited the school on Tuesday to pledge $12 million to the school to complete stage three of the redevelopment if the Coalition is returned to power in the November election.
The money will allow the school to upgrade their science, technology, arts and physical education facilities.
Dr Napthine also announced that funding of $84,796 would be provided immediately to allow Cranbourne Secondary College to make improvements to the school’s L Block building.
The commitment comes after the Opposition made a $10 million pledge towards stage three in July this year if Labor wins the State Election.
Dr Napthine said as a result of Cranbourne Liberal candidate Geoff Ablett’s campaigning, Education Minister Martin Dixon inspected the school and spoke with students, staff and principal Ken Robinson about the need to complete the modernisation project.
“If re-elected, existing plans for stage three will be updated to full tender documentation with construction works likely to commence in 2015,” he said.
Mr Ablett said he had a long-standing connection with the school following his time as a teacher in the area and would be proud to deliver this important upgrade.
“Securing the commitment to complete stage three of Cranbourne Secondary College has been one of my top priorities as the local candidate in the upcoming State Election,” he said.
“We were always going to make a pledge towards this project, but we wanted to do our homework so we know exactly what pledge we wanted to make.”
Labor funded the $8 million for stages one and two of the modernisation works.