Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller says new selective school should be in or near Liverpool CBD

Liverpool has made a pitch for the new selective school to be built in southwest Sydney. Mayor Wendy Waller said Liverpool made sense as the city was undergoing an “education boom”.

Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller said the city was undergoing an “education boom”. Picture: Simon Bullard

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Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller says the city should be considered for the location of the new selective school announced by the NSW Government last week.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the school will be built in southwest Sydney, describing it as a “key growth area”.

With many students travelling long distances to attend selective schools, the new facility would be a convenient option for students and their families, she said.

The location of the school is yet to be determined.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a new selective school will be built in southwest Sydney. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Cr Waller said there was an “education boom” happening in Liverpool and the selective school should be located in or near the CBD.

“Our academically gifted students shouldn’t have to travel far for their higher education and having great opportunities on our doorstep raises the aspirations of the whole community.

“Parallel to the demand for job opportunities is a pressing need for high-quality education for the next generations.”

She pointed to the presence of tertiary institutions in Liverpool, including the University of Wollongong and Western Sydney University.

There are also plans for a world-class university in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis in Badgerys Creek.

Labor education spokesman Jihad Dib has slammed the decision.

“A bright student in Liverpool should be able to attend a selective school in their city before considering local quality tertiary options,” Cr Waller said.

“With the number of residents expected to double in the city centre, there will be an even greater demand for a local selective high school to accommodate our brightest students.”

The announcement has drawn criticism from Opposition education spokesman Jihad Dib, who said a new selective school would introduce more segregation into the public education system.

“You’ve got kids who will be walking straight past that school that will have to go to another school,” Mr Dib told The Daily Telegraph.

“I think that’s wrong … there’s not equality of opportunity when it’s still by and large a segregated system.”

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