One Nation arrives at Premier, Rockhampton candidate media event

A Gracemere high school advocacy group mum who was waiting for the Premier at his abandoned press conference about high school funding has made her own commitment - to hold both parties to account.

After decades of petitioning governments Gracemere locals are now celebrating the news both major parties will deliver on a high school if elected this October.

But, like all parents and caregivers, they know their job is never done.

“Now that both parties have committed to it, we’re going to hold both parties to account,” mum-of-three Tazmin Anderson said.

The Gracemere high school advocacy group member said she was happy with the news Labor would deliver a $100m high school on Thursday, if not how it was delivered.

Premier Steven Miles abandoned his midday announcement in front of vacant Education Department land on the corner of Johnson Rd and Lucas St when the One Nation candidate and his supporters in bright orange and Ms Anderson and her other Gracemere school supporters in pink hi-vis arrived.

Mr Miles said stage one of construction works would be underway within two years, with the school to welcome students in 2028.

Most people had already guessed the announcement but he later revealed the great news near Warraburra State School with Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke and Labor candidate Craig Marshall.

The high school will be delivered in a staged approach, to increase capacity as the community grows and is expected to support 51 local construction jobs.

Ms Anderson, who has two children at Warraburra and one at Rockhampton State High School, said the vacant block had been sitting bare for 47 years, adding “hopefully we get somewhere before 50”.

“It feels good to know the kids are going to get a high school one way or another, not an overcrowded bus, or a bus that doesn’t turn up, and equal education.”

Overcrowded buses, high student to teacher ratios in classrooms and bullying before kids even get to a classroom are just some of the issues raised by parents calling for a high school at Gracemere.

During decades of community advocacy, a 3000-signature petition was presented to parliament, and two campaigns for new high schools in Central Queensland were run.

The Labor commitment is a huge backflip after Education Minister Di Farmer deferred The Morning Bulletin questions about a high school to the Education Department in April.

The department said there were no plans for a high school.

A department spokesperson said at the time the department did not currently have plans to open a new state secondary school in Gracemere based on state secondary student population of Gracemere projected to grow to only about 800 students by 2046 and the threshold for the department was “a stable enrolment of 1500 to 1800 students to ensure the school can deliver a broad, modern curriculum”.

While independent candidate Margaret Strelow had in April stood at the corner of Johnson Rd and Lucas St site and pushed for a school, Mr Marshall refused to say whether he would support or not support a school.

He said he would start a Gracemere High School Working Group, which he thanked for their feedback on Thursday, August 15.

LNP candidate Donna Kirkland and One Nation candidate David Bond support a school and Ms Kirkland has committed to a school if the LNP is elected.

Mr Bond said Labor decided not to announce the school funding because he attended the announcement.

“It doesn’t matter who gets the funding, why they get the funding. We need a high school, so why are they running off just because I’m here. It’s nonsense.”

Mr Bond said he was simply there to listen “as a citizen” and he would not ask any questions.

“I was going to record it for future reference so when I get elected, if I am fortunate enough to get elected, then I can hold these people to elect,” he said.

“The community has been pushing for a high school for years.

“They’ve got the land here. It is super frustrating to see these people doing it just before an election they come here to announce $100 million.

“Because One Nation showed up they decided to fork it. They community needs a high school. It should have been bullet a long time ago.

“It doesn’t matter who gets the funding, why they get the funding. We need a high school, so why are they running off just because I’m here. It’s nonsense.”

Rockhampton One Nation candidate speaks out after Premier Steven Miles fails to show to make an education announcement, set to benefit the Gracemere community.

Parents joined former Rockhampton mayor and current independent candidate for Rockhampton’s state seat, Margaret Strelow, on April 4, calling on the state government and opposition to commit to building a school at Gracemere by 2028 at the site of the premier’s original announcement.

Earlier today Ms Strelow said Labor shouldn’t have waited for an independent to call them out.

“Of course it’s a good thing for the people of Gracemere. And I’m glad to have played part,” she said.

“If Labor had always intended to announce the high school this election, they would have done the preparation work well before this and used the resources of the department of education to verify the demand.

“The community know that they deserved their high school years ago.”

Ms Kirkland, a former councillor, said she had been pushing for a Gracemere high school.

“I have been doorknocking and talking to families, there’s over 600 children travelling into town,” she said.

“For 20-plus years Labor has pushed back on this.

“I’ve worked exceptionally hard... and put forward a really comprehensive submission.”

Ms Kirkland said high school was Gracemere’s biggest issues, followed by crime.

Originally published as One Nation arrives at Premier, Rockhampton candidate media event