The inner west desperately needs a new P-12 school. This is something I’ve been hearing from local residents since before I was elected. Rapid development and densification in the area has meant that many local schools are experiencing severe overcrowding. This is impacting on the wellbeing of students, parents and the local community. Capacity is quickly being outstripped by enrolments, with P&C members estimating they will need significant numbers of new buildings next year to accommodate growth. Demountable classrooms are being erected on school ovals, encroaching on students’ already limited play area. Before and after school care services are particularly overcrowded, with long wait lists placing enormous pressures on working parents especially. I believe we need long term solutions and planning for future growth, and that’s why I’ve been calling for a new school or schools for the inner west. With limited space, one solution could be a vertical school, similar to the one due to open in Fortitude Valley in 2020. I’ve put it to local residents whether they’d support this option, so please complete my Autumn Community Survey to have your say. My office and I have been looking into a number of possible locations for a new school, and have a few sites in mind. Taringa seems to be the obvious choice, given its population is growing quickly, it’s relatively accessible via public transport, and it still doesn’t have a school. Closing the old Taringa State School in 1996 and selling off this valuable land was a huge mistake. Instead of making sure property developers pay their fair share, past governments have let development carry on without the necessary public infrastructure like schools, public transport and green space. I’ve been raising this issue repeatedly in the media and in Parliament. On 3 April 2019 the Minister for Education gave a promising answer to my question about a new school, indicating that “all options are on the table”. Now we need to make sure the Minister understands how urgently the inner west needs a new school. How can you take action? Sign my petition asking the Queensland government for a new school and ask your friends and family to sign too. This will help demonstrate the urgent need to the Government. Write to the Minister for Education, Grace Grace, via education@ministerial.qld.gov.au. Let your local school Principal and P&C know this issue is important to you. If you have specific thoughts about a location, or other ideas or concerns, please contact my office directly via maiwar@parliament.qld.gov.au or 3737 4100.

A better city is within reach. If we want to reclaim our communities from vested interests and big property developers we'll need a resurgence of local democracy. We've heard loud and clear that this community wants a cleaner future that's also a fairer one. That means local residents should have a meaningful say over how our suburbs change and grow. Everyone deserves a secure, affordable home with world-class public transport and public green space. Every school should be a great school and we can power it all with 100% clean energy. This is what we're fighting for.

Across Queensland, residents have lost control of their neighbourhoods. Here in Maiwar, unsustainable and unsuitable development in our local community is one of residents’ key concerns. Whether it’s Tricare’s multi-tower residential aged care facility in Taringa, the proposed Sunland triple-tower high-rise at the former ABC site in Toowong, the proposed mega zipline project at Mount Coot-tha, or endless new apartment blocks, locals are being shut out while big property developers do whatever they like. We can create well-designed medium density development with new public infrastructure, but  we need to take power from big developers and give it back to locals. Labor and the LNP have created planning laws that are rigged in favour of property developers and big business. We need a planning system that puts people ahead of big developer profits. You can read the full plan to restore a planning system for people, not profit here.   Need help objecting to a specific development in our local community? Here's a helpful guide to making a submission on a development application.  My office can also assist with: Printing flyers or information to letterbox drop your neighbourhood Arranging a meeting to discuss the development in person  Writing supporting submissions where the development is of high interest or concern for the local community Helping to organise and facilitate a community meeting to bring residents together to discuss concerns Other support or assistance depending on the development. Get in touch via email: maiwar@parliament.qld.gov.au or phone: 3737 4100.