South West schools to make the grade with $24 million WA Labor pledge

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will invest $24 million in new and improved school infrastructure in Western Australia’s South West.
  • Re-elected Cook Labor Government to deliver school upgrades across WA’s South West
  • $24 million in improvements to benefit local students from kindergarten to Year 12
  • WA Labor commitments include a new Vasse West Primary School, two out-of-school-hours care (OSHC) services, air-conditioning upgrades, and early childhood and STEM facilities

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will invest $24 million in new and improved school infrastructure in Western Australia’s South West.

WA Labor’s South West schools package includes $1.9 million for planning for a brand new Vasse West Primary School to open in 2028, which will provide state-of-the-art facilities for local students and help to accommodate growing enrolments in the area.

Four schools in the region will benefit from the first round of WA Labor’s Cool the Schools air conditioning upgrade program, which will retrofit schools that lack effective air-conditioning with modern reverse-cycle technology. This will improve learning environments for students and working conditions for teachers and school staff – particularly on hot summer days.

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will also significantly increase the number of WA primary schools where parents have access to easy and convenient before and after-school care, with families at Maidens Park Primary School in Withers and Manjimup Primary School to be among the first to benefit from expanded high-quality out-of-school-hours care (OSHC) services, on site.

The new OSHC services will be welcome news for many working parents – particularly at Maidens Park Primary School, where parents must rely on less convenient before and after-school care services at locations away from the school.

Other significant upgrades to be delivered under a re-elected Cook Labor Government include:

  • $12 million major upgrade to Cowaramup Primary School, including a brand new early childhood education classroom block;
  • $2.8 million air-conditioning upgrade for Pinjarra Primary School;
  • $1.8 million for new STEM facilities at Donnybrook District High School;
  • $1.4 million air-conditioning upgrade at Dardanup Primary School;
  • $1.3 million for student support centre upgrades at Bunbury Primary School;
  • $1 million for air-conditioning upgrades at Picton Primary School;
  • $969,000 in air-conditioning upgrades for Harvey Primary School;
  • $400,000 for car park upgrades at Denmark Primary School; and
  • Hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional support for local schools and P&Cs.

WA Labor’s commitment builds on the Cook Labor Government’s major investment in regional schools, including delivery of the $36 million redevelopment of Margaret River Senior High School, $15 million in upgrades to Australind Senior High School, a $7.5 million upgrade to Collie Senior High School, and $4.4 million in sport and STEM upgrades at Bunbury Senior High School.

Comments attributed to Education Minister Dr Tony Buti:

“We want every WA student to have the best possible education, no matter where they live."

“Only WA Labor has a plan to deliver more high-quality education facilities for students in the South West region and create an unprecedented School Infrastructure Fund that will enable the gradual refurbishment of WA’s hundreds of public primary and secondary schools.”

Comments attributed to Bunbury MLA Don Punch:

“Bunbury is lucky to have many fantastic schools and teaching staff, but there's always more to do and I’m proud to have worked with local principals, P&Cs and school communities and advocated for a range of important projects."

“The Maidens Park Primary School community has desperately wanted a new OSHC service, and I know families will welcome the much-needed upgrades to student services facilities at the growing Bunbury Primary School, which opened in 1962 and is one of the older schools in our region.”

Comments attributed to Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns:

“As a former teacher, I know the importance of schools having the modern facilities they need so kids can learn, be taught and achieve their very best – particularly when it comes to STEM."

“I’m proud to have secured these commitments for local families, which will deliver new STEM facilities for Donnybrook Primary School and better learning environments for students and staff at Dardanup Primary School.”

Comments attributed to Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke:

“We want our local students to have the best possible environments to learn in, and our incredible teachers and school staff deserve to be able to do their jobs in comfortable conditions."

“Schools in Murray-Wellington will be major beneficiaries of WA Labor’s $89 million Cool the Schools package, with Pinjarra and Harvey primary schools to be among the first to receive upgrades.”

Comments attributed to Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie:

“The $12 million for major upgrades to Cowaramup Primary School is a major win for the community, and I just know working parents in Manjimup will welcome access to a new OSHC service."

“I’m proud to have successfully advocated for these commitments for families in Warren-Blackwood, ensuring our community gets the state-of-the-art-education facilities it needs.”

Comments attributed to WA Labor Candidate for Vasse Evan Lewis:

“The funding for a brand new primary school at Vasse West is incredibly exciting news for local families, who will soon benefit from the modern facilities and additional student capacity."

“With the new school set to open in time for the 2028 school year, the families of Vasse’s youngest residents can look forward to dropping them off at the school gate in a few years' time.”

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