MOTIONS: Public Schools

12 October 2023

Mrs SALLY QUINNELL (Camden) (14:43): I am pleased to support the motion condemning the former Government for not planning for public schools in areas with high population growth, such as West Dapto, Calderwood and Flinders. To be perfectly honest, it could say Camden, Gregory Hills, Gledswood Hills and Leppington. The motion notes that the Government is committed to rectifying the lack of planning for public schools over the past 12 years. This is not just a problem for the Shellharbour electorate; it is a problem for the whole State. I vehemently support the motion because in my electorate of Camden, community groups have been crying out for a public school. I have an article fromThe Sydney Morning Herald stating that half a dozen new public schools announced in 2018 are yet to be started. Gregory Hills Public School was fought for by the community of Gregory Hills. It took an appearance onA Current Affair for the community to be assured that there would be a public school. Surprise, surprise—when were the demountables for the public school delivered? That would be January of 2023. I do not want to be cynical, but something else happened in early 2023.

Mr Nathan Hagarty: Was there an election?

Mrs SALLY QUINNELL: Oh, that's right; there was an election. The people of Gregory Hills saw this for exactly what it was: a very rushed attempt to win back their love. Actually, what was happening was they were being pushed back, and pushed back, and pushed back. The minute the community group was aware that it was getting the public school that it had spent years and years fighting for and had had countless meetings with members about, it turned its focus to a high school. Being parents, and human beings, they know that children grow. Every year they grow. Once they finish year six, they then go on to this other thing called high school. When they met with the former Minister for Education in the other place and the former member for Camden, they were told that one public high school would do not only for the electorate of Camden, but for the electorate of Leppington as well.

Mr Nathan Hagarty: A two‑for‑one deal.

Mrs SALLY QUINNELL: Yes, a two‑for‑one deal. That means more than five public primary schools would be feeding into what we locally called a mega high school. The parents came to me and said, "This is not good enough. Our children deserve a high school in our area." Now, as shown in the budget papers, a brand new high school has been planned for. Once the land is purchased a new high school will be built in the Gregory Hills‑Gledswood Hills area. The Government is working very hard to rectify the lack of planning for important educational infrastructure in areas with high population growth, such as Shellharbour and Camden. Those are two very important areas where people have bought homes on the premise that they would be able to educate their children there in good‑quality public schools. We are rectifying that lack of planning. It will take time. We are not saying this is a silver bullet that will fix the problem overnight. We are taking steps in the right direction. I applaud the motion.
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My team and I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands of which the Camden Electorate is located upon – the Dharawal, Dharug and Gundungurra people.

We acknowledge the land’s elders both past and present and extend that respect to their culture and identity which has been tied to the land and waters of this region for over 60 000 years.

We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and commit to working with the government to establish a First Nations Treaty between the people of NSW, and our First Nations peoples.

Authorised by Sally Quinnell MP, Member for Camden. Funded using parliamentary entitlements.