NSW election 2019: Labor vows to save, upgrade Ryde schools
Opposition Leader Michael Daley has promised to spend $223m saving and upgrading two schools in Ryde as he claimed the government was destroying residents’ “sense of belonging” in Sydney’s northwest.
Northern District Times
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NSW Labor has committed to spending $223 million to save and upgrade Marsden High and Meadowbank Public — while also delivering a new high school at the Meadowbank TAFE site.
Opposition Leader Michael Daley made the announcement on Monday afternoon as he claimed the Berejiklian Government’s overdevelopment in Ryde would destroy a “sense of belonging” in the community.
“Nothing is more popular in a local community than a school, close to where people live,” Mr Daley said out the front of Marsden High.
“This government treats schools like they do hospitals: low hanging fruit to rearrange and refit to their own grand designs where people always come last.”
Labor’s promise comes in response to the government’s plan to relocate both schools to a redeveloped Meadowbank TAFE site, where 5500 students, from primary-aged children to adults, would be rubbing shoulders.
The existing school sites will be turned into a sporting facility and public open space when the education precinct opens in 2021.
Labor candidate for Ryde Jerome Laxale claimed the message was clear from local residents that “both schools shouldn’t be closed — but they do need to be upgraded”.
“And that’s what we plan to do if we’re elected,” the Ryde Mayor said.
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Labor has costed the new co-ed public high school at $175 million, while Meadowbank Primary would get a $26 million upgrade and Marsden High just over $22 million for a facelift in the first term of a Labor government.
Marsden High P & C executive member Julie Somerfield said parents held “many concerns” about the Coalition Government’s schools plan for Ryde.
“How can it possible work where you cram in 2500 primary and high school kids together with 3000 TAFE students?” she said.
“That’s 5500 students together all the time on a 3.3ha site, and it just wouldn’t work. We are nearly twice the size of that site here at Marsden High alone, with plenty of open space.”
Education Minister Rob Stokes said Labor’s announcement showed it was focused on playing short-term politics, rather than securing a long-term future for local communities.
“We are relocating Marsden High School and Meadowbank Public School into a state-of-the-art Meadowbank Education Precinct that will provide the community with the education facilities that they deserve from kindergarten through to TAFE,” Mr Stokes said.
“Our students’ futures are too important to play politics with and Labor’s policy will see students in Ryde left behind.”
He said the Coalition Government’s record investment in schools was in stark contrast to Labor’s.
“The last time Labor was in power, they shut down 90 schools including Peter Board High School and Macquarie Boys Technology High School, resulting in a loss of more than 500 classrooms and 2000 student places,” Mr Stokes said.
Ryde Liberal MP Victor Dominello said Labor’s promise was a “rehash of a previous Labor announcement” and “falls well short of what is already being delivered by this government”.
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