AUTISM SCHOOL ON OBERON SITE

GEELONG will get its first autism school as part of a major education pledge from the Coalition.

The State Opposition will announce today it will splash $10 million on converting the soon-to-be-vacant Oberon High School into the Geelong Region Autism School, if it wins office next month.

It forms part of a $90 million-plus cash bonanza for Geelong schools from the Coalition, including a $34.5 million commitment to build a new secondary school in Armstrong Creek, where Oberon High School will be relocated by 2021.

The $34.5 million pledge matches a commitment made by Labor on Tuesday.

South Barwon state Liberal MP Andrew Katos, a long-time proponent of an autism school, said it was urgently needed.

“There is nothing in the Geelong region that specifically caters for children on the autism spectrum,” he said. “That’s an issue that parents have raised with me on numerous occasions — that we need a school that actually deals with children on that spectrum.

“This is something the Geelong region has been calling out for a long time and we want to see it delivered.”

There has been notable community support dating back several years for Geelong to get its own autismspecific school.

In 2013, an online petition garnered more than 800 signatures, with campaigners arguing the city’s two existing special schools were reaching saturation point.

Mr Katos said using the Oberon site in Belmont would allow the autism school to open sooner.

“The good thing is a lot of the infrastructure is there at the school. It’s got a gym and the sporting facilities are good,” he said. “But some of the buildings may have to be knocked over.”

Labor is yet to confirm what it will do with the school once Oberon shifts to Armstrong Creek.

Earlier this week, Education Minister James Merlino said the usual process for surplus schools involved an assessment of whether they could be retained for educational purposes.

The autism school announcement is the highlight of a $90.25 million cash splash on Geelong schools from the Coalition being unveiled today.

They include: $7 MILLION to upgrade Bellaire Primary School; $9 MILLION to redevelop Belmont High School; $8 MILLION to improve Bellbrae Primary School; and, FUNDING for a feasibility study into a secondary college in Leopold.

Other Geelong schools in line for infrastructure upgrades include Our Lady Star of the Sea ($3m), Iona College ($6m), Lisieux Catholic Primary School ($6m), St John’s Lutheran School ($3m) and Christian College ($3.5m).

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the investments were necessary to help Geelong deal with a surging population.

“Unplanned, unmanaged population growth in Geelong is putting enormous pressure on infrastructure and services,” he said. “An elected Liberal Nationals government will make one of the biggest-ever investments in Geelong’s schools to ease the pressure and give children the best opportunities.”