[Greens-Media] Decades of poor planning leave Inner-Sydney parents without public school options

[John Kaye]

Decades of poor planning leave Inner-Sydney parents without public school options
 
Media release: 8 October 2012
 
The O'Farrell government should immediately explore all options for a new comprehensive public high school in Inner-Sydney, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
('Inner-Sydney enrolments keep on soaring', Sydney Morning Herald, 8 October 2012, page 6,  http://j.mp/QIShkL)
 
Dr Kaye said: "Decades of ignoring population trends and treating public education as a cash cow have left Inner City parents struggling to find a place for their children in comprehensive public high schools.
 
"It is as if the Department of Education and the Department of Planning were talking about two different cities.
 
"While Planning was pushing councils into increasing density, Education was busy closing down schools and stripping assets out of the Inner City.
 
"Both Coalition and Labor governments have closed public schools and sold off the real estate, without any thought for future population growth.
 
"The big winners have been private schools as parents have been forced out of public secondary education.
 
"Premier Barry O'Farrell should immediately begin the process of finding a suitable site for a new comprehensive public high school in the Inner City.
 
"His search should start with the Cleveland Street Boys High School site.
 
"The Premier should also order the Minister for Education and the Minister for Planning to work together to ensure that every future land zoning decision includes space for public primary and secondary schools.
 
"The Greens are committed to ensuring that every parent in NSW can send their children to a comprehensive public school high school. We have a motion before the Upper House and have worked with the community to push the government to respond to parents' demand for a new school," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000