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Melina Bath has raised concerns in Parliament about Emerald Secondary College closures and urged fire upgrades

Melina Bath raises concerns over Emerald Secondary College closures during high fire danger days, urging Allan government to improve fire resilience and keep schools safely open, reducing learning disruption for students.

By news@gippsland - 14th April 2026 - Back to News

The Nationals’ Melina Bath has raised community concerns in state parliament over the repeated closure of Emerald Secondary College on high fire danger days, calling on the Allan government to fast track overdue fire resilience upgrades.

Melina Bath has raised concerns in state parliament over Emerald Secondary College closures, urging the Allan government to improve fire resilience and keep bushfire-prone schools safely open while protecting students and staff

Policy disrupts learning students

Emerald Secondary College is regularly forced to close under the Allan government’s education policy, which treats high fire danger days the same as catastrophic days, despite very different risk thresholds. Ms Bath said continuity of learning must be a priority and schools should remain open on high fire danger days where it is safe to do so.

"The Allan government’s policy fails to recognise the significant differences between fire danger ratings. A rating of High means ‘be ready to act’, while Catastrophic means ‘for your survival, leave a bushfire risk area’. Bushfire risk must always be taken seriously, but closing schools on days of high fire danger is unnecessarily disruptive and harms student outcomes."

"In term one alone, Emerald Secondary College was closed for five days based on fire danger ratings, resulting in a 14 per cent loss of face to face learning and significant disruption for working families. These recent forced closures actually exceeded the government’s own absenteeism benchmark," Ms Bath said.

Protect at-risk schools

Emerald Secondary College is classified as a Bushfire at Risk Register Category 2 school, however targeted upgrades such as improved vegetation management, increased defensible space, fire resistant buildings and strengthened shelter in place facilities would reduce its risk and limit closures.

Ms Bath said the Allan government must focus on practical measures to keep schools in bushfire prone areas open while ensuring the safety of staff and students. "Ad hoc remote learning is not a substitute for classroom education and disproportionately disadvantages students and families."

"Other local schools facing similar challenges include Cockatoo Primary School and Beaconsfield Upper Primary School. All schools should be safe and kept open - the Allan government cannot continue forcing students outside the tram tracks to keep losing valuable days of face to face learning," concluded Ms Bath.

Pictures from Google Images.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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• Baw Baw Shire to gain two new kindergartens located at the Neerim South Primary School and Warragul Regional College opening in 2028
  Baw Baw Shire will gain two new kindergartens at Neerim South and Warragul, opening in 2028, easing local demand and supporting families as part of the State’s Best Start reforms.
• Baw Baw Council and community oppose large-scale solar, battery projects threatening prime farmland and farming livelihoods
  Baw Baw Council and community express strong concerns over poorly sited solar and battery projects threatening prime farmland, seeking transparency, consultation, and protection of local farming livelihoods and regional character.
• Baw Baw Shire secures $102,000 AusNet grant for five rural hall upgrades, emergency generators and community resilience
  Baw Baw Shire secured a $102,000 AusNet Emergency Resilience Grant for five rural halls, funding switchboard upgrades, generators, and community events to improve emergency power readiness.
• East Gippsland Mayor Jodie Ashworth urges vigilance, community support and preparedness during recent extreme heat and bushfire risks
  East Gippsland Mayor acknowledges recent extreme heat, commends community responses, urges vigilance, bushfire preparedness, checking on vulnerable people, accessing support services, and using Vic Emergency app and Emergency Dashboard.
• Ensay Recreation Reserve redevelopment completed, $2.2M upgrades to strengthen community, sport and tourism
  Federal Member Darren Chester congratulated Ensay volunteers on completing the $2.2 million Recreation Reserve redevelopment, enhancing sport, community facilities, and tourism as part of Black Summer bushfire recovery.
• CFA faces critical staffing shortages in Gippsland as Labor government fails to act before dangerous fire season
  A new report reveals serious CFA staffing shortages in Gippsland, with vacancies, fatigue, and leadership gaps risking slower responses this dangerous fire season. Labor must act urgently.