Education officials: Hurlstone Agricultural High School move ‘high risk’

Macquarie Fields state Labor MP Anoulack Chanthivong says e-mails between Department of Education officials prove the relocation of Hurlstone Agricultural High School was being pushed ahead despite it being a “high risk to the department”.

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Macquarie Fields state Labor MP Anoulack Chanthivong says e-mails between Department of Education officials prove the relocation of Hurlstone Agricultural High School was being pushed ahead despite it being a “high risk to the department”.

The e-mails contain discussion between Department of Education officials about an internal assurance review examining the processes behind plans to move the school from its current site at Glenfield to Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury campus.

An artist’s impression of the new Hurlstone Agricultural High School to be built at WSU’s Hawkesbury campus.

Under the plans excess land will be sold while the existing school facilities will be redeveloped into the new Roy Watts High School.

In the e-mails, department officials said the project was a “high risk to the department” and the assurance review was needed to “bring the project back on track” while the absence of an independent value management study was a “major flaw in the project development process”.

Mr Chanthivong said the e-mails proved the project was being pushed ahead to ensure land at the current site could be sold to developers.

Labor MP Anoulack Chanthivong has campaigned to keep the school open for several years.

“I think the community deserves to see a copy of every document they’ve got in relation to the relocation and sale of the Hurlstone land,” he said.

“There’s been no independent oversight of this project at all.

“The Liberal Government decision was always about selling the land at the expense of education.”

Mr Chanthivong called on NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes to release the outcome of the assurance review.

Planned upgrades to the current school site at Glenfield.

The e-mails were obtained by NSW Labor under freedom of information laws just weeks from the state election.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said the school’s relocation was still progressing through the planning and design process.

“Internal Assurance Reviews are a normal part of capital works process, undertaken by independent parties and designed to identify opportunities for improvement and to give guidance to the project team,” he said.

“This project has significant complexity, involving multiple educational partnerships and engagement with industry to maximise the agricultural educational opportunities for students and teachers.

“The reference to “bringing the project back on track” was mentioned in relation to all of the opportunities and considerations which required the project team to focus on a common direction to maintain progress.

The spokesman said independent value management processes may be conducted in the future.

“The value management process runs through the entire project life cycle and activities have been ongoing through the project focused on achieving a value for money outcome,” he said.

“Independent value management studies may form part of the project process at a later date.”