THE HON SHAYNE NEUMANN MP, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BLAIR

MEDIA RELEASE

Bremer State High School in Ipswich is set to receive $25,000 to install and upgrade outdoor learning spaces and shade structures at the campus’s basketball courts, thanks to the Albanese Government’s Schools Upgrade Fund.

Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann visited the school on Tuesday to officially announce the funding and inspect the courts where the structures will be installed.

“This is great news for Bremer High, which is one of the biggest state high schools in the Ipswich region with over 2,000 students.,” he said.

“Local schools like this deserve great infrastructure to help students achieve their best.

“We know educational infrastructure helps support better student outcomes, including attendance, attainment and behaviour.

“The Albanese Labor Government is delivering on our promise to invest in our schools and there is more to come,” Mr Neumann said.

Bremer State High School was one of three local schools in Blair to benefit from the latest $32-million Schools Upgrade Fund round as part of a wider $250-million Federal Government commitment to improve school infrastructure and equipment.

The other schools were the Ipswich Flexible Learning Centre, which received $25,000 to refurbish classrooms, and Harlin State School in the Somerset Region, which received $25,000 to build new outdoor learning spaces.

Mr Neumann explained that with the spectacular growth of basketball in the region, Ipswich Basketball currently uses Bremer State High School’s courts to hold local competition games.

“So these upgrades will ensure Bremer’s basketball courts become a great community asset. It’s a win-win for the school, and for players and spectators from across Ipswich.  

The high school has always been a sporting powerhouse and has become a basketball nursery in recent times with the establishment of a basketball academy and development program this year, led by Ipswich Force player James Ringholt.

The school has also forged partnerships with the Ipswich Basketball Association and Brisbane Bullets, with elite players providing training sessions and mentoring for the students.

Mr Neumann said the Albanese Government was committed to investing in schools and this announcement was backed up by a range of education measures in last week’s Federal Budget.

“Central to building a better and fairer education system is investing in the teachers and support staff that make the system work with $9.3 million to implement the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, building on the $328 million already allocated.

“Importantly, the Budget represents a downpayment on the Albanese Government’s big reform initiatives underway in schools, ensuring our children and young people can access a quality education no matter where they live or their background.”

Key Budget Measures include:

• 4,000 additional university places for education, including 1,972 places for primary and secondary teachers.
• Funding for 5,000 scholarships and the High Achieving Teachers program to attract more high-quality candidates into teaching.
• $25 million to pilot new ways to reduce teacher workloads and maximise the time they have to teach.
• $10 million for a national communications campaign to raise the status of the teaching profession.
• $10 million to support teachers in phonics, classroom management and programs in leadership.

The Government will also broaden eligibility for teaching bursaries of up to $40,000 to include mid-career professionals, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and other underrepresented communities.

New Budget measures include:

• A further $9.3 million to deliver outcomes from the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, including:
  • National guidelines to better support early career teachers and new school leaders.
  • Increasing teacher supply by prioritising conditional or provisional registration.
  • Improving teacher workforce data to better understand future demand for teachers.