North Shore Electorate Schools

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-105311

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

North Shore Electorate Schools

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (13:06:09):

I move:

That this House:

(1)Acknowledges the Government's record investment in education, with the announcement of major upgrades to local schools.

(2)Acknowledges that Mosman High School, Neutral Bay Public School and North Sydney Demonstration School will be upgraded to give students permanent classrooms and facilities to ensure students continue to thrive and excel.

(3)Thanks the Minister for Education for her first official visit to Neutral Bay Public School.

I thank the New South Wales Government for its record investment in education with the announcement of major upgrades to our local schools. The Government is committed to ensuring that the students of New South Wales have the best possible start in life. I am proud of the work that the Berejiklian Government is undertaking to invest in school upgrades. Over the next nine years the Berejiklian Government will provide funding of an additional $6.4 billion to schools, bringing the State's total investment over this period to $148 billion. Over the next four years alone the Government is investing $6.5 billion to build 190 new and upgraded classrooms. Understandably, I am most excited about the school upgrades that the Government has committed to in my electorate of North Shore.

I have been fighting for upgrades to my local schools in order to provide better schools for our students to ensure they are able to learn and study in an environment that maximises their potential. We are very fortunate in my community to have excellent local schools. In some way, we are the victim of our own success. Our schools, our teachers and our support staff are considered exemplary across the State and this has placed significant demand on our local resources. People move into our catchments to take advantage of the wonderful education provided by our schools. The challenge with that and with our growing population locally, particularly in a built‑up area, is finding the space and resources to increase capacity for our students while ensuring that we also focus on good pedagogical outcomes.

Since the election of the New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government in 2011, my local area has already seen investment in two brand-new schools. We have seen the commitment to and delivery of Anzac Park Public School and at Cammeraygal High School the junior campus was opened a number of years ago and the senior campus opened in January for its first intake in 2019. The Government is building on that local investment and commitment with investment in upgrades to Mosman High School, Neutral Bay Public School and North Sydney Demonstration School. The Government has committed to upgrade these three schools to provide students with additional permanent classrooms and facilities. It is a big win for our local community. Thousands of families in my electorate will benefit from this record investment in our local schools to ensure that our students continue to thrive and excel in all areas of their learning and education. I thank my school communities for all their support to make sure that the Government delivers the investment and upgrades that they need.

I have spent a lot of time at these three schools. I visited North Sydney Demonstration School during the election campaign to let them know about the announcement and commitment for an upgrade. I thank the Parents and Citizens President, David Bond, the previous president, Laurens Lubbeten, and Principal Myra Wearne. The former Parliamentary Secretary for Education, now the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services, Gareth Ward, joined me in visiting the school in 2017 as we commenced a campaign to upgrade our local school.

I also thank the Mosman High School P&C President Evan Predavec and Principal Susan Wyatt. The former parliamentary secretary, Gareth Ward, and the former Minister for Education, Rob Stokes, joined me on a number of occasions to visit Mosman High School. The school has made significant investment in creative arts, theatre, music and design. While the school is a local catchment area school, it contributes greatly to the State and our country through its graduates and investment in the visual arts, music and the creative arts. Last year the former Minister for Education joined me on a visit to the school to see some of the classes and speak to students about their creative arts. Earlier this year we met again to visit drama and cooking students. The school has great classes on coding and the President of the P&C, Evan Predavec, does a lot of work with the school on coding as well.

Neutral Bay Public School was the site at which the new Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, made her first visit to a school in her role as Minister. Neutral Bay Public School, which is just down the road from my electorate office, is a wonderful public school but it is bursting at the seams. The school has approximately 1,000 students in grades K1 to year 6. It has three separate recesses and lunch breaks to ensure that all the kids are able to play in what is a very constrained site. The school has beautiful heritage buildings. Recently when I visited the school I noticed the honour roll board, which was installed in 1919. This year is the 100th anniversary of recognising the service of former Neutral Bay Public School students in the First World War. One of those students was just 13 years old when he enlisted. The school has rich ties to the local community and heritage.

Recently Minister Mitchell joined me at the school and I thank the president of the school council, Kim Thompson, the President of the P&C, Sharmila Soorian, and the Principal, Judy Goodsell, for their welcome. One of the most significant fighters for the Neutral Bay Public School is the former member for North Shore, the Hon. Jillian Skinner, who recently joined Minister Mitchell and me for a visit to the school. Jillian has had a commitment to the school for more than 30 years. Her children attended the school, as the local member she championed the school, and now her grandchildren attend the school. I know that she will be one of the most excited individuals when the upgrade of the school is opened. I express my sincere thanks to Jillian Skinner for her many years of tirelessly advocating for the school and for joining me as an ongoing champion for Neutral Bay Public School.

Other commitments that were made in last year's budget and in the lead-up to the recent election were the introduction of the Environmental Education Centre at Middle Head and a new education precinct at St Leonards with a brand‑new high school and primary school. That is all part of the Government's commitment to ensuring that our community has the infrastructure and services it needs for a growing population and that our kids get the best start in life. Since 2011 the Government has been building a legacy. The New South Wales Liberal‑Nationals have funded more than 230 infrastructure projects, which will provide more than 3,500 permanent new classrooms and approximately 81,000 new student places. The rollout of 190 more new and upgraded schools is underway across the State. That is just part of this Government's record $6.5 billion investment in public school infrastructure to ensure that each of our schools provides world‑class facilities that our students and teachers deserve.

This funding is in addition to our existing record school infrastructure program to cater for the growing demand in our outstanding public school system. It will create more than 40,000 jobs over the next four years. The Government's record infrastructure investment program for schools is the largest investment in public schools by any State government in Australian history—a matter of which Government members can be very proud. Funding includes commencing work on more than 40 new and upgraded school projects in 2018‑19 alone and planning for a further 22 new and upgraded schools. On day one, term one this year the New South Wales Government proudly opened 17 new and upgraded schools. As I mentioned, one of those was the senior campus at Cammeraygal High School in Crows Nest. The program has provided for almost 400 new classrooms for students across our State. The record infrastructure milestone includes eight new schools and nine major upgrades. In term two in 2019, students and teachers moved into five upgraded schools. The new schools have delivered 69 new classrooms for students across Sydney.

I am proud of this Government's investment in local schools and schools across New South Wales. That investment can be achieved only with a strong economy. In particular, I thank the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, the Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, and the previous Minister for Education, Rob Stokes, for their prioritisation of school projects. I wish the new Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, Minister Mitchell, the best of luck. I look forward to working with her on these investments for our students.

Mr JIHAD DIB (Lakemba) (13:16:14):

Mr Assistant Speaker, I congratulate you on your appointment. You truly deserve to be on the front bench and I hope that occurs sooner rather than later. I congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, MLC, on her appointment as Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning and look forward to working with her as I did with former Minister Rob Stokes and former Minister Adrian Piccoli. I thank the member for the North Shore for bringing forward this motion. I move an amendment to the motion as follows:

That the motion be amended by adding the following paragraph as the new paragraph (1):

Acknowledges that under this Government, New South Wales public schools have suffered the largest maintenance backlog and number of demountables in history.

I acknowledge that there has been a lot of investment in education. However, it is easy for the Government to talk about record investment because it has ignored education for so long. Government members seem to have forgotten that the first thing the Coalition did when it came to office in 2011 was to cut the school maintenance budget by half. It cut $1.7 billion from the maintenance budget.

Mr Stephen Kamper:

You should see my old school James Cook.

Mr JIHAD DIB:

I will get to James Cook in a minute. It is confected for Government members to pat themselves on the back for this investment after so many years of this Government's neglect. The facts are that there are more than 5,000 demountable classrooms in New South Wales public schools and more than one‑third of schools are at or above capacity. Government members talk about the number of schools that were closed, apparently, during Labor's time in office but this Government has closed 23 more schools than it has opened. They do not like to talk about that. This Government likes to sell. Thank goodness we were able to save a school site that it wanted to sell. I recently visited Cairnsfoot School with the member for Rockdale and the member for Kogarah. The Government wanted to sell this school.

Mr Stephen Kamper:

Flog mania.

Mr JIHAD DIB:

The member for Rockdale interjects about flogging; I will leave that to him. Cairnsfoot School would have been sold but for the hard work of the member of the Rockdale, supported by the member for Kogarah. We also visited Kogarah Public School in the electorate of Kogarah. It is bursting at the seams and has an issue with its hall. Schools in the electorate of the member for Auburn require upgrades. We want a commitment from the Government for those upgrades.

The Government talks about 170 to 190 new and upgraded schools. That is a lot of upgraded schools. I want to know how many of those upgrades have occurred within budget and on time. I want to know the details of the upgrades. This Government is happy to talk about the headlines but is not happy to talk about the details. When the budget was delivered, I looked in the budget papers for funding for schools in my electorate. Banksia Road Public School and Punchbowl Public School were going to get an upgrade, along with 170 other schools. I was so excited. I went to the budget papers to see when the upgrades would take place. It said, "Not applicable". How much funding would be allocated? It said, "Not applicable". Will the schools have new classrooms? It said, "Not applicable". I visited a school site at Jordan Springs in the electorate of the member for Londonderry. The area has been developed and families moved in when they were expecting their first child. Their children are now of school age—

Mr Chris Minns:

Homeschooling. It is not going to happen.

Mr JIHAD DIB:

Homeschooling. There is a sign in the area stating, "A school is coming this way". When? A whole generation is missing out. I am pleased to see investment in education; I will never argue against that. But I do worry sometimes that Government members get too carried away with themselves. They tell us about all the amazing and wonderful things they do, but their record of actual delivery is not very impressive. They are very good at making announcements—they can make announcements better than anyone else I know—but they are not very good at delivering. I remember an announcement that the Government would be opening X number of schools a year. It has not quite met that figure.

While I have got the mic, so to speak, I will refer to air conditioning. When we came out with the "cool schools" policy we copped a little ridicule. Then the Government stole the policy. But it did not even steal it well; it made it worse. Under the Government's policy some schools are going to miss out. I do not think it is fair that some schools will get air conditioning and heating while others will not. If the Government is going to steal a policy it should at least copy it properly. Government members stole that and some other ideas, but, as we know, there is more to education than just bricks and mortar. I want investment in education. I want upgraded schools. I want schools being built. But I want it all done in consultation with the community and I want it done properly. I do not want school assets to be sold off. I would like the Minister to make a commitment that no more education assets will be sold off. That is important and we need to talk about it. We will be pursuing that issue more.

I congratulate the member for North Shore. It is outstanding when a school community receives something. I hope the investment will be spread across the board. I hope the Government will continue with its investment in education and will complete the tasks on time and on budget with community consultation. As I have said many times—and I am sure all members agree—if we invest in education then we invest in not only our future but also our society. That is especially true when we invest in public education. We know that every child needs to have the best possible opportunities. I hope the Government supports my amendment to the motion. I am happy that there is investment, but I make it clear that since this Government came to office there have also been some serious problems in our public schools.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (13:21:37):

In the Oatley electorate we are seeing the biggest spending spree in education than was ever seen before. Over the past eight years we have had school upgrades—

Mr Stephen Kamper:

You just dust every other electorate off your shoulders, do you?

Mr MARK COURE:

You might learn something here. There have been school upgrades and a new school hall built at the Georges River College Peakhurst Campus. Construction has started on a covered outdoor learning area for the girls at the Georges River College Penshurst campus. One of the biggest upgrades of any school in my electorate since Adam and Eve is taking place at Penshurst Public School, where the planning and design phases of an entirely new school have been completed. A pop-up school has been constructed at Peakhurst West Public School and the tenders for the main building works have been announced. Construction has started on the new Penshurst Public School.

It all forms part of our record $6 billion investment over the next four years to build and upgrade more than 170 schools across New South Wales. The new school at Penshurst will have 47 brand-new classrooms, a library, a school hall, a covered outdoor space, open play spaces, seating, shade structures, running tracks, new administration and staff facilities, and new staff and student amenities. That is great news for the people of my electorate and the kids who attend the school. It is all about them. The work will be completed by the middle of next year. We cannot forget Penshurst West Public School. The good news keeps rolling in for my electorate as part of the $6 billion investment over the next four years. Across the State there will be 170 new and upgraded schools. Did I mention that already?

Mr Adam Crouch:

You did.

Mr MARK COURE:

I will mention it again: 170 new and upgraded schools across New South Wales. Penshurst West will get a new, modern teaching space and seven new learning spaces. I have been actively campaigning for this upgrade for the past seven years. This is great news for my electorate. I cannot forget, of course, the new school hall at Georges River College at Peakhurst, which will also get an outdoor learning space. What is Labor's track record on education in my electorate? We all remember Narwee High School. What did Labor do when in office? It closed Narwee High School and sold off the land for low-, medium- and high‑rise development. That is Labor's track record when it comes to education in my electorate. Labor made cuts, cuts and more cuts. Thank goodness the people of Oatley re-elected me and the people of New South Wales delivered a solid victory for this side of the House. We would have seen more cuts under Labor, just as happened when it was in government for 16 years.

Ms LYNDA VOLTZ (Auburn) (13:25:50):

I have learned some new terminology today. I assume a "pop‑up school" means more demountables. Those opposite can elaborate on what an "outdoor learning area" is; we used to call them "playgrounds" in our day. I assume the seven learning centres are something that we would have called "classrooms". I love the new terminology; I am sure it is up there with the customer service we will get from here on in. On the subject of investment in schools, I would like to raise the subject of Sydney Olympic Park. At a little place called Wentworth Point, where 13,000 new dwellings have been built, the Government signed a memorandum of understanding [MOU] more than a year ago to develop a school at Sydney Olympic Park.

But we hear only crickets at Sydney Olympic Park; people are wondering whatever happened to the MOU for a new school. During the same period the Government managed to pull down the Sydney Football Stadium, put up a business case and make planning decisions on the stadium's redevelopment, yet not one sod has been turned or plan has come through for a new school at Sydney Olympic Park. I like investment and think it is a great idea. However, we want to see some investment happening. Anytime soon would be nice—maybe sometime this century.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER:

Take a trip to Penshurst.

Ms LYNDA VOLTZ:

I missed the interjection, but that is okay; I will catch it later. Speaking of investment in schools, there is a school on the border of my electorate called Birrong Boys High School. The former Minister for Education will be well aware of the school because Birrong Boys High School, unlike other schools that are at capacity, has plenty of room for more students. However, in the past 40 years it has had absolutely no government investment. Birrong Boys High School should be the first school to receive investment under this Government. There should be investment in woodworking equipment that students at the school have used for 40 years, because students should have the best equipment on offer. However, the students are being left behind. Girls schools in my electorate are doing very well. Birrong Girls High School is a top 50 Higher School Certificate school. We do not want the boys to be left behind. These schools need to be at the top of the list for investment by this Government. Birrong Boys High School, Birrong Girls High School, Riverstone—

Mr Jihad Dib:

Riverstone, and you've got Canterbury and Canley Vale, Wiley Park Girls School—

Ms LYNDA VOLTZ:

Yes, Canterbury Boys—

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER:

Order! Only one member will speak at a time.

Ms LYNDA VOLTZ:

I am sorry, I am trying to learn not to respond to interjections. These New South Wales schools should be at the top of the list for investment. Quite frankly, these schools are in regions with the highest rates of homelessness and unemployment. The area with the highest rate of unemployment in metropolitan Sydney is in my electorate. This Government should prioritise investing in the schools attended by these kids in order to get the outcomes we want for the future of this State's economy and to encourage and retain cohesion in our society. We need to make sure that the people who are most in need are not last on the list for investment. What about the new Sydney Olympic Park high school? Crickets! That area is waiting for a sign from the Government that it will start construction. Birrong Boys High School and schools throughout our regions are crying out for investment. It is good that the Government is investing, but it would be better if it could deliver it as quickly as it delivers stadiums.

Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (13:30:01):

I acknowledge the motion moved by the member for North Shore and the contributions of the member for Lakemba, the member for Oatley and the member for Auburn, who had some assistance from the member for Lakemba. That was great to see given that she is a little nervous. This motion is about teachers and schools in New South Wales. I know how tough teaching is because I am the son of a teacher. I am also the proud grandson of teachers and the nephew of a teacher. It is not just a job; it is a vocation. I am extremely proud to have hosted Minister Mitchell on the Central Coast when she visited Avoca Public School to make an announcement about the Healthy Harold pop-up classroom service. I have an amazing director of schools, the incredible Karen Jones, who is second to none. I also pay tribute to the principals at high schools and public schools across my electorate of Terrigal, who do an outstanding job providing excellent education services on the Central Coast. That are ably supported by—

Debate interrupted.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER:

I shall now leave the chair. The House will resume at 2.15 p.m.