Mrs SALLY QUINNELL (Camden) (11:10): My question is addressed to the Deputy Premier, and Minister for Education and Early Learning. Will the Deputy Premier update the House on how the New South Wales Government is ensuring that students in our fastest growing suburbs have access to free, quality public education?
Ms PRUE CAR (Londonderry—Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning, and Minister for Western Sydney) (11:10): I thank the member for Camden for asking that important question. She is the perfect member to be asking a question about schools in growing areas. I have no doubt that much of the reason that the hardworking member is in this place is because the communities around Camden said that they were sick of not being listened to about the need for public primary and high schools in south‑west Sydney. Many members from north-west and south-west Sydney can tell a similar story.
The member for Camden has done a lot since she was elected, and I want to go into the details. Some of the worst impacted areas in terms of the previous Government not building schools where they are needed are Gregory Hills and Gledswood Hills in the member for Camden's electorate. The enrolment growth audit that this Government undertook showed that student growth in those areas had exploded by 145 per cent. That may sound like numbers or data on a page, but there are students in the member for Camden's electorate who have no choice but to go to overcrowded schools. Schools in Oran Park and Mount Annan are quite far from Gregory Hills and Gledswood Hills. Parents put their children, sometimes very small children, on a bus that takes them an hour to get to a public school. It is their right to have a public school in their community.
Mrs Leslie Williams: Why did you ignore it when you were in government last time?
Ms PRUE CAR: One of the members opposite asked why we did not build it when we were in government last time. Gregory Hills did not exist at that point.
The SPEAKER: Government members will come to order.
Ms PRUE CAR: It was there, but there are now thousands of families there. Those families can now look forward to a new high school at Gregory Hills and Gledswood Hills. The Government is fast-tracking the new high school by two years so that the community can get what their children have deserved the whole time.
The SPEAKER: I call the member for Hawkesbury to order for the first time.
Ms PRUE CAR: The Government has delivered a major upgrade at Gledswood Hills. All across New South Wales, particularly north-west and south-west Sydney, the Government is investing in school infrastructure. [Extension of time]
The very vocal member for Hawkesbury might be interested to hear about Box Hill and Gables, where the Government will deliver a new school. The Liberals and Nationals misled that community and promised them a school. People moved there on that promise. They took out mortgages, moved there and built their homes. I note that the member for Hawkesbury has made a contribution to the debate about Box Hill and Gables recently.The Daily Telegraph asked the Liberal member why the former Government did not deliver the school over the past 12 years while Box Hill was exploding at the same as Gregory Hills. Her response was, "Really good question. I don't have an all‑in‑one answer."
Mr Warren Kirby: Because you don't have an excuse.
Ms PRUE CAR: They do not have an excuse. The member for Riverstone said—
Ms Eleni Petinos: Point of order—
The SPEAKER: Order! Members will come to order. The Minister will resume her seat. I will hear the point of order.
Ms Eleni Petinos: The Minister was talking about misleading the House. She might want to do her homework. Gregory Hills was created on 1 August 2008, when those opposite were in government.
The SPEAKER: The member for Miranda is generally quite good at taking points of order. She knows the rules. However, this time she is completely out of order. I call the member for Miranda to order for the first time. The Minister has the call.
Ms PRUE CAR: That may be when the land was released. I am not going to go into it. I would love for the Opposition to ask a question about Gregory Hills and Gledswood Hills every day of the week, because that community knows how those opposite abandoned them. That is why the member for Camden is here. The member for Hawkesbury does not know why there was no school at Gables—which the Government is now building—but I know why. The Opposition education spokesperson told us why when she recently accused the Government on radio of being a government that is too focused on Western Sydney. I look forward to going to the Hawkesbury, Winston Hills, Holsworthy and Badgerys Creek electorates and explaining to people that the members that represent them think that this Government is too focused on building schools in Western Sydney.
