The Education Department has refused multiple requests for detail on a $300k high school study

Parents are forking out $4600 in extra costs to send their kids to high schools around Hobart, despite repeated calls to release information on plans for a centralised campus.

THE State Government remains non-committal on a new Hobart co-educational public high school, as a parents’ group releases a discussion paper outlining the cost of crisscrossing town for education.

The Hobart High Community Group, which is lobbying for a Hobart high school, estimates the “tax” on parents and the community includes about $4608 in bus fares over four years for two students, increased Hobart traffic and $20m a year in taxpayer-funded bus subsidies for students who attend out-of-area schools.

“The State Government needs to urgently and strategically address the changing education needs of Hobart and provide the option of a public high school co-education. Our group requests that the Government release details on its research and strategies; and has a dialogue with the community and key stakeholders to address the urgent issue,” the discussion paper says.

Key points from the detailed discussion paper, which draws on publicly available data such as enrolment figures, include:

TAROONA, in the Kingborough municipality, is overflowing with about 1110 students on 2019 figures. The government is investing $5m in upgrades at Taroona.

COSGROVE High School, in the Glenorchy municipality, has fewer than 200 students. The government plans to invest $20m in upgrades.

ENROLMENTS at single-sex Hobart schools Ogilvie and New Town are in decline. Ogilvie has 626 students and New Town 698.

An aerial view of Taroona High School. The Taroona area is overflowing by more than 1000 students Picture: RICHARD JUPE

The State Government spent $300,000 on an investigation into a new high school, but has repeatedly refused to release the findings.

The department also recently refused a Right to Information request from independent Clark MHR Andrew Wilkie.

The refusal listed 34 documents that would not be released but it showed there had been numerous meetings, presentations, reports and decisions.

“Seeing the pros and cons of a central Hobart high school is clearly in the public interest, not least because taxpayers paid for the study in the first place,” Mr Wilkie said.

State Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff would not rule anything in or out regarding a new school.

“There are a number of other quality high schools located closer to the greater Hobart city area that have the capacity for more students,” Mr Rockliff said.