Michael Berkman has welcomed the Government's announcement that consultation on the Inner West's new school will begin next month.
“I’m thrilled. Today’s announcement is a huge win for the west side after a long campaign and years of overcrowded schools.
“I’ll be asking further questions in Parliamentary Estimates today to make sure that separate funding beyond the $65 million committment is available to purchase land for the new school if required.
“My focus now is making sure the Department of Education runs meaningful and detailed consultation that goes beyond box-ticking.
“It’s really important we get this right, so I will be listening to the community before making my formal submission to the State government.
“Two things are clear from my conversations with locals so far: that the Government should consult the community on any suitable land in Taringa first to tackle the overcrowding and morning traffic at Ironside, Toowong and Indro SS, and that the school should be P-12 if possible.
“In my reply to the Budget last week I also queried whether the Government’s pre-election commitment to expand local OSHC capacity would be included, so I was also pleased to see the Minister confirm that funding today to increase places for families who right now are missing out, affecting their ability to work and financial stability.”