Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, has written to the Education Minister to seek an update on the State Government’s progress on removing asbestos from schools in East Gippsland, specifically Newmerella and Nowa Nowa.

Mr Bull said Labor took a policy to the 2014 election to make all Victorian government schools asbestos-free by 2020, but had since backflipped on that commitment.

“The Government has now shifted its language, saying it will only ‘target and remove asbestos in schools that may pose a risk in the future’,” he said.

Mr Bull said Nowa Nowa and Newmerella Primary Schools are two schools in his electorate that had been affected by the change in policy.

“Audits conducted at Nowa Nowa and Newmerella in 2015 have found that both schools have Action Rating 3 and 4 asbestos in their buildings, and neither are sure as to how or when this will be removed.

“My letter to the Minister asks for an update on his plan to remove asbestos from these schools and to provide a timeline for any proposed works.”

Monday, August 7, 2017