E&OE…
…I must at least say a few words. So Stephanie, thanks for letting us have this space. The Principal, the Chairman, Richard White, the mayor and councillors, parents and supporters, but most importantly the students of this great school.
This is not my first time here; a bit like this part of Melbourne, every time I come out here there’s a new building. My brother lives up in Mernda, every time I visit him which is only a few times a year, there’s a couple of extra streets that have been added to the neighbourhood.
I was here last year of course opening your Year 12 area, and I didn’t see any work here being done at the time, so congratulations on being able to pull such a facility together so quickly.
I’ll let other people make jokes about politicians and performing arts, and potentially even drama, particularly with the events over the last few weeks. But this is actually one of the last responsibilities I have from my old role when I was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education. One of the great responsibilities I had was overseeing Block Grant Authorities around Australia; independent schools and catholic schools in every state and territory. And being able to be part of the Commonwealth contribution, through the Block Grant Authorities, with decisions made completely at arm’s length from politicians, to school communities where we know with incredible fundraising – and probably even a few working bees by parents and teachers – that facilities like this would be able to be brought to bear.
Why is that so important? Because while I have absolutely no artistic bones in my body at all, and I didn’t have these opportunities when I was at school. We quite rightly, for these reasons we heard before, actually want our schools with students, at any school, public, private or catholic, independent, to have these opportunities to learn how to express themselves. We know it makes a huge difference to their self-esteem. We know about the correlation between learning music and better academic outcomes for every student, just as we do about learning languages and being able to better learn and comprehend a native language.
These facilities are important because they provide an opportunity for community members to get involved in schools.
We know that every school is better the more involved parents and community leaders are, and one of the great things about our school system in Australia are schools like this which grow rapidly, service an incredibly rapidly growing hub of Melbourne and a growing community; but they provide an opportunity for parents and families to get involved in the creation of a school community, not just building a building but building an environment where children and young adults want to come to school and we know they’re going to be given the opportunity and choice to fulfil their potential and their passions.
So, it is a great privilege to be here; I have the easiest job, I get to turn up and help the school captains take something of a plaque. But, as one of the last responsibilities of my old role before the change in Prime Minister a few weeks ago, I was keen to come back here because I saw what this school had been doing over previous years. I grew up when this was still farmland. I grew up down in Niddrie, but I’ve seen this area of Melbourne grow. I’ve seen what the community expects and I’ve seen how the school has filled a gap of opportunity that didn’t always exist in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.
My congratulations to the school leaders, to the church leaders who have supported the growth of the school, and the parents and teachers – and I say that as the proud son of a mum who just retired after forty years as a teacher, and a principal – but particularly to the students I say congratulations.
I’m sure you’ll make wonderful use of it and I’m sure you’ll reflect on your time here at Hume Anglican Grammar, not just because of the buildings but because of the environment with great pleasure as I did during my last few years at school. So, if you come up we’ll unveil the plaque.
(ENDS)