In a terrible betrayal of our local children, it has been revealed that the Minns Labor Government has quietly cancelled two new schools that were to be built in our local area – at Chatswood and St Leonards.
The two schools were announced and planned by the previous Liberal Government to meet growing demand and to cater for future population growth.
At Budget Estimates on Tuesday, Minister for Education Prue Car did not answer questions on the future of the two new schools, leaving it instead for public servants to reveal the truth.
On the 1000 place primary school on the former Chatswood Metro dive site on the corner of Mowbray Road and Pacific Highway, officials stated the new school, which has had more than $25 million already spent on planning, is “not something we are pursuing at this stage.”
On the future of the new preschool to Year 12 St Leonards Education Precinct, Shadow Education Minister Sarah Mitchell quizzed officials asking: “You're saying there's enough space in existing schools around St Leonards that you don't at this stage need a primary school or high school there?” The response - “That's exactly right.”
This is a shocking, short-sighted decision that I condemn and will fight every day until we have a state government that delivers the schools we need. It is a complete betrayal by the Minns Government of our children and public education in Willoughby.
Incredibly the government has justified its decision by claiming reduced demand for schools in the area and excess capacity in existing schools. This is despite several local public schools currently being at capacity and turning away local students.
This Labor government has proven it has no intention to deliver for our community. It is a government that expects us to accommodate tens of thousands of extra homes without the infrastructure needed to support it.
The cancellation of the new Chatswood school is a lost opportunity. The proponent of the mixed-use development at the former Metro dive site would have been required to build the public school. The prominent and large government owned site represents a once in a generation opportunity to provide a lasting public benefit. Instead, it now risks being turned over to developers to become another ultra high rise apartment building - residents of whom will need a new school. The government must at least commit to preserving future provision for a new school in the upcoming development of the site.
It is now confirmed that the Minns Labor Government has no plan or intent to provide a new high school at St Leonards, despite the existing Cammeraygal High School being at capacity and sending local students to Mosman. Officials said of a new high school at St Leonards: “We're monitoring [demand] - at the moment there's not any service need, [or] demand for a high school at this stage.” Of a new primary school at St Leonards officials said demand was also being monitored and “There's not an urgent need right now for us to press go on that primary school.”
Chatswood, St Leonards and surrounding suburbs are seeing significant population growth with even more to come under the government’s high density housing drive. With tens of thousands of new dwellings coming, the time to build the new school is now. The decision the government has taken condemns our existing schools to a future where they are filled to the brim with playgrounds taken over by demountables.
The Minns Government must reverse this decision. I will continue to fight for you and for quality public education for our local children.