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Mr DRAPER (Tamworth) [6.06 p.m.]: I speak tonight about the current state of the Tamworth West Primary School. This school is technically located in the Tamworth central business district and has a declining enrolment due to a number of factors. The school has been the subject of much debate over the past 10 years because a prominent developer wanted to expand the Shoppingworld Centre into the block currently occupied by the school. It sought to have the land rezoned to accommodate its plan, and in return offered to fund the building of a new school for the long-suffering school community. Yesterday the planning authorities rejected the proposal, and now the school students, their parents and teachers deserve to know what the future holds.
The parents and citizens association has expressed great disappointment about the decision. It believes that it is back at square one and that no real progress has been made in the past 10 years. Due to the uncertainty over the school's future and the lack of investment in school infrastructure, enrolments have declined to only 275 students. A letter to the association from Mr Martin Bowles, Deputy Director-General, Corporate Services, with the Department of Education and Training, dated 7 May 2003 stated that if rezoning were rejected, consideration would be given to the inclusion of work in a future school improvement program. That statement provided cold comfort to the school community. We need a concentrated effort to push improvements to the top of the list. The same letter stated that if the rezoning were rejected the department would undertake a full assessment of the school's facilities to determine the extent of improvements required. That appears to rule out constructing a new school as an option. Why is a new school an option only if someone else is prepared to pay for it?
The school community is extremely concerned that no representative from the department, apart from District Superintendent Rob Lewis, has visited the school or spoken to parents or teachers since the debate began. I toured the school last week, and I was very concerned by the state of the infrastructure. The Government will say that work has been done at the school over the past 10 years, and it is correct. However, not enough work has been done. Country kids deserve better. The school has not rocked the boat and the kids are not agitators or stirrers. They have not played games in the media; they want a fair go.
During my visit, which was on a day on which it happened to be raining—it rarely happens these days—I saw kindergarten kids walking to the toilet in the rain. I saw other children soaked by a sheet of water pouring from the guttering. I also saw children walking in the rain to the canteen and the library because those basic facilities cannot be accessed without walking in the open. There are no covered walkways. Water was pooling on the quadrangle and not getting away. I was ankle-deep, standing under the only piece of shelter in the entire school.
Inside the classrooms, individual heaters have been fixed, but the total system needs upgrading. By mid morning in winter, the heating system has basically run out of gas and the school classrooms begin to cool down considerably. The white ants that have destroyed cupboards, skirting boards and doorjambs, among other wooden items, have now been treated. However, the problem will recur because asphalt work outside the buildings is covering up the air vents. Simply put, the white ants might be gone for now but they will come back tomorrow.
The school has now addressed the mouse problem, but it had to spend money out of its own budget to do so. Lattice has been installed on a second-storey verandah, but many other obvious safety risks remain. I observed a number of extremely dangerous areas whose access, just in the last week or so, has put the safety of schoolchildren at risk. As I walked around the school I observed many other leaking gutters. I also observed additional temporary posts that had had to be installed to support a sagging roof, as well as rotting wooden walkways with nails popping up. Despite the diligent efforts of school staff, they cannot contain the problem.
In the computer room, some 29 computers were operating on a system of power boards running from three power points. In this day and age that is simply not good enough. During my visit I observed downpipes discharging water directly onto the playground, and many other problems. I have written to the Minister for Education and Training asking him to come to Tamworth at his earliest convenience to see the problems first hand. Hopefully, we will be able to work towards a solution for the school.
Private members' statements noted.
[Madam Acting-Speaker (Ms Andrews) left the chair at 6.11 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.]