Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown—Minister for Women, Minister for Seniors, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault) (19:10): Students of all ages have returned to schools in the Charlestown electorate and elsewhere across the State after what I am sure was a fun and relaxing summer break. Going back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be a challenging one for parents as well as students. Starting primary school is a big milestone for children and their families, and the transition from primary school to high school can be an even bigger one.

I can say from experience that as stressful as these periods of transition can be, they are also wonderful, made easier by strong, supportive school communities, where learning is fun and engaging. There is so much of that in the Charlestown electorate. I am so proud of my local schools. Every day I hear about how school communities are overcoming challenges, embracing new methods of learning, and supporting students and their families to achieve. Hunter Sports High School in Gateshead's fantastic results in NAPLAN testing; Windale Public School's embracing of First Nations history and culture through artwork and learning experiences; and Wiripaang Public School's engagement with the Big Buzz initiative, which has seen the school community adopt a beehive and produce small-batch honey for sale, are just three examples of the ways that schools in the Charlestown electorate are lifting up their students with the help of the Minns Labor Government.

In the 12 months to November 2024 the number of merged and cancelled classes across the State has almost halved. The Lake Macquarie North Principal Network is ahead of the curve, achieving a 58 per cent reduction. The Government is also reducing teacher vacancies, which had reached a record high before the last election. This ensures that students in my electorate and across the State receive quality face-to-face education. In the Regional North Directorate, which covers the lower Hunter, teacher vacancies have dropped by 53 per cent since 2023.

The Minns Labor Government is prioritising quality education in the early years of a child's life. The 2024‑25 budget invested $1.82 billion in early education and care to ensure that as many children as possible get access to early education during those vitally important formative years. Charlestown electorate families can now receive up to $4,347 a year for three- to five-year-olds attending community and mobile preschools, up to $515 a year for three-year-olds and $2,174 a year for children aged four and over attending preschool programs in long day care services.

The Government is also getting on with addressing the maintenance backlog that has afflicted too many of our schools for far too long. In the 2024-25 financial year alone we funded pavement repairs at Windale Public School; new flooring at Cardiff Public School; ceiling repairs at Warners Bay High School; resurfaced sports courts at Mount Hutton Public School; new carpet and a retaining wall replacement at New Lambton Public School; termite damage repairs at Charlestown East Public School; repairs to the block A and covered outdoor learning area steel structures at Hillsborough Public School; the replacement pf synthetic turf as well as repairs to play equipment at Charlestown Public School; roof and guttering repairs at Newcastle Junior School; new flooring and a refurbished food tech block at Cardiff High School; and a building redevelopment and extension at Kotara High School, where my two kids went. Those repairs, extensions and rebuilds are important in ensuring that the students have safe and comfortable spaces in which to learn.

I am proud of my local schools. I am also proud to be part of a government that is supporting schools all across the State by partnering with the Federal Labor Government to fully fund schools according to Gonski funding. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure that every student in my electorate—and, indeed, every student around the State—has access to the quality education they deserve. I wish every student, teacher and school staff member in the Charlestown electorate all the best for this school year. I look forward to hearing about all their successes. Even though those successes are important, their education is what starts them on the most important trajectory in life.