Luke Foley: ‘We’ll build new high school in Sydney’s east’
STATE Labor leader Luke Foley has pledged to build a co-ed high school in the area if his party is elected next year.
Southern Courier
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STATE Labor leader Luke Foley has pledged to build a co-ed high school in the area if his party is elected next year.
Speaking at a community meeting in Randwick on Monday night he said the party would work with the Community for Local Options for Secondary Education (CLOSE) East group on the proposal.
The grassroots group has been campaigning for many months for a new high school, warning that numbers are nearing capacity in Sydney’s east.
Mr Foley was at the meeting alongside Labor candidate for Coogee, Marjorie O’Neill.
“The CLOSE community group have been excellent advocates for their local community and with Marjorie O’Neill I can commit that Labor will work towards delivering a new co-ed high school in Sydney’s east,” he said.
“I do these community meetings in seats right across New South Wales and the message is always the same, this Government is failing to listen to local communities.”
Shadow Minister for Education, Jihad Dib, said the party had been in discussions with the community group about the proposal.
“This commitment comes after working closely with the CLOSE group on their campaign.
“NSW Labor has met with them on a number of occasions and will continue to work with them for a new school in Sydney’s east.”
Education is hotting up to be one of the decisive issues for the marginal state seat of Coogee which is currently held by Liberal member Bruce Notley-Smith.
The CLOSE East group is advocating for a new vertical school at Bondi Junction.
In May members handed a 5500 signature petition to Mr Dib MP calling for urgent action.
Group spokeswoman Licia Heath said Labor’s commitment was a huge step forward.
“This commitment is a great development for our campaign. CLOSEast has been very diligent to approach all parties equally with our data, site maps and petitions.
“We’re delighted Labor took such an interest in our campaign and have reached a point where they’ve made this commitment leading into the election cycle.
“It’s our hope that all parties will reach the same conclusion and formalise their commitment to a desperately needed new co-ed high school.”
The eastern suburbs was once home to three public high schools.
In 1982 Dover Heights Boys and Girls High Schools were combined and a further merger was done with Vaucluse High School in 2003 to form Rose Bay Secondary College.
The sole public high school in the eastern suburbs has a catchment area spanning from Hornby Lighthouse south to Bronte and west to Paddington.
As of the start of the school year enrolment had surged to 1240 — up from 1132 last year.
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