Senator for NSW, Deborah O’Neill, and NSW Shadow Minister for the Central Coast, Mr David Harris, said children at schools in the state electorate of Terrigal were being forced to learn in second-rate settings as the state Government’s schools’ maintenance backlog grew.
According to the two Labor politicians, in the Terrigal electorate, currently held by Liberal MP, Mr Adam Crouch, the 10 most dilapidated schools have a combined backlog for maintenance, including toilet and sewer upgrades, carpet replacement, painting, fixing damaged roofs, installing guttering, replacing windows and other general repairs, worth $7.5 million. “Recent documents obtained by Labor show the individual maintenance backlog for 15 government schools in Terrigal as at June 30, with three schools needing repairs in excess of $1 million,” Sen O’Neill said.
She said the most rundown school in the NSW electorate of Terrigal was Kincumber High School, which needed $1,387,790 worth of repairs and maintenance that was yet to be addressed. “This appalling state of affairs has worsened in Terrigal under the watch of the local member, Mr Crouch,” Sen O’Neill said. “Indeed, during the recent federal election, Kincumber was a polling booth, and an ambulance was called twice during the day for people who had injured themselves in falls at the school.
“So it is not only an unsuitable and unhealthy environment for our children to be learning in, but also a dangerous one.” Kincumber High parent, Ms Kelly Sadler, said it was disappointing for children to hear that Kincumber High School was continuing to have a backlog of maintenance repairs. “My daughter complains that even basic necessities such as toilets are a daily concern,” Ms Sadler, of Avoca Beach, said. “How are our children expected to learn and get the best out of their education when our schools are falling apart?” Labor MLC for Terrigal, Greg Donnelly, said: “Principals in the electorate of Terrigal are doing the best they can with the meagre resources that they have at their disposal.
“Mr Baird needs to explain to parents why he is allowing their children to sit in classrooms that fail to make the grade.” However, Liberal member for Terrigal, Mr Adam Crouch said: “When the Liberal National Government was elected, we inherited a school infrastructure back log under NSW Labor in excess of $1 billion dollars, with no indication of how this would be addressed, given that NSW, under 16 years of Labor, had the worst economy in the country. “Over the fi rst term of this government, we were able to reduce the NSW Education infrastructure backlog by more than $300 million, this also includes approximately $13 million being spent on maintenance and capital works on schools in the electorate of Terrigal, which again NSW Labor were never going to be able to address.
“The $330 million allocation over the next two years will allow for planned and priority maintenance works to be undertaken in schools across the state, with the expected allocation for schools in the electorate of Terrigal being $3.5 million. “These works will focus on painting, repair/replacement of fl oor coverings and roof repairs; as well as some playground and stormwater and sewerage works. “Over the next two years, public schools in the electorate of Terrigal will receive additional funding from this program. “These comments from Senator O’Neill are a slap in the face to all of the hard working and dedicated Principals of all of our fantastic public schools given that they are the ones able to make the decisions on the infrastructure needs of their individual schools, and she should be ashamed of her comments.
“Finally NSW Labor has opposed every measure that this government has introduced that has allowed us to repair the economy, including the very successful leasing of the poles and wires, which continues to allow us to invest in upgrading our outstanding state schools.
Media release, Nov 15, 2016 Scott Coomber, offi ce of Deborah O’Neill Media statement, Nov 15, 2016 Adam Crouch, Member for Terrigal