UPGRADES to Hopetoun P-12 College are a priority, Victorian Parliament has been told.

Minister for Education James Merlino, in answering a question from Member for Mildura Ali Cupper, said the Victorian Government would “finish what it started” regarding urgent infrastructure needs for the school.

Mr Merlino said the school was recently allocated $1.059 million from the Infrastructure Planning and Acceleration Fund to plan, design and document a major upgrade.

“All of this planning ensures that when funding is provided in a future budget, they are ready to go,” the Minister told Parliament.

“Now, in terms of future funding, the Treasurer will kick me in the calf if I make any budget announcements today, so I cannot do that. But my message to you and my message to the Hopetoun P–12 school community is that this is a priority, and the Andrews government has a record of finishing what we started.

“This is an important project, and I will continue to work with the member and the Hopetoun school community.”

Mr Merlino committed to visiting the school, which needs new science and food technology rooms.

“We know that the most important thing is what happens inside a school, the quality of the teaching, the quality of the learning. But we know that facilities do make a difference—providing 21st-century facilities to match the wonderful teaching and learning that happens at Hopetoun P–12 College,” he said.

Outside Parliament, Ms Cupper said she would continue to lobby the Government to fund the upgrades in this year’s budget, which would be delivered on November 24.

“This school has been overlooked by successive governments for funding but the condition of some of those rooms is dire,” she said.

“The staff, students and entire Hopetoun P-12 school community are Victorians too, and they deserve to have the best facilities.”