Newcastle Students Left Disappointed on Air Conditioning Rollout

 BY CHARLOTTE LLOYD

At the start of 2019, the state government released the Cooler Classrooms grant program which set aside  $500 million for an air conditioning roll out in schools.

Among the 447 applications received since, only 15 have progressed to stage two of the process.

This sits at around three per cent of all applications. 

Throughout the Hunter there are five schools that have been affected by this delay which are Callaghan College Waratah Technology Campus, Lambton High School, Newcastle East Public School, Newcastle High School and The Junction Public School. 

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp says after almost two and a half years since the applications were opened and received, the Liberals have not followed through on their flashy announcement. 

“Schools should not be left languishing because someone can’t manage their ‘in’ tray.” 

Newcastle schools didn't make the funding cut

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp is calling for Premier Gladys Berejiklian to honour the Gonski funding agreement to schools before Newcastle lose more than $5 million from their budgets.

According to figures obtained by the NSW Teachers Federation under Freedom of Information laws, Lambton High will lose around $670,000, and Hunter School of Performing Arts will lose nearly $620,000.

Across NSW, more than $846 million due to be delivered in 2018-19 for public schools will be slashed under the federal government.

Tim Crakanthorp can't understand how the Premier can praise a government and a budget which means schools lose out.

"The Hunter is losing out and it's simply not good enough. This government is absolutely flush with money from huge stamp duty income as well as selling off our assets at bigger than expected sale prices. They really should be putting money into health and education," he said.

Tim Crakanthorp says as a father himself, he's very disappointed in the Government's commitment to Gonski.

Hunter School Maintenance Backlog

BY RACHEL STORER

Hunter Schools will take decades to fix on current funding scheme. Picture: theherald.com.au

Labor is calling on the state government to direct some of the massive profits from the property boom to address the serious school maintenance backlog in the Hunter.

The state opposition has obtained figures under Freedom of Information laws which show the cost of repairs and maintenance now exceeds $1 million at 11 Hunter schools.

Hunter Sports High tops the lists with $2 million worth of work needed.

Based on the current funding allocations in the state, most Hunter schools repairs will take two or three decades to complete.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter, Kate Washington says the massive backlog won't be addressed until there's an overhaul in the system.

"There are some real systemic issues. At the end of the day we've got kids and teachers in schools that have got leaking roofs, gutters that are broken, toilets that are broken.

"These aren't just cosmetic issues. They are basic everyday items."

Ms Washington says that the government has the money to address these crucial repairs.

"They're raking in stamp duty and there is great opportunity to do the right thing and focus on what's important, and that is education.

"That is what will strengthen our communities for the future, but the priorities are just completely wrong."

Opposition Leader, Luke Foley agrees with Ms Washington and says new Premier Gladys Berejiklian needs to make schools a top priority.

Labor address school overcrowding, maintenance

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

Opposition Leader Luke Foley

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has joined Hunter MPs in calling on the Berejiklian government to adequately fund schools across the region.

During a visit to Maitland Grossman High School on Thursday, Mr Foley also addressed to growing concerns about school overcrowding in the region.

“Across the region, schools are overcrowded and playgrounds are full of demountable classrooms,” he said.

The Opposition leader also committed Labor to building new schools in Maitland and Medowie if it is elected in 2019.

He identified the issue isn’t isolated to just Maitland.

“This is a problem right across the Hunter, and I have to say, Ms Berejiklian in her six years senior minister and treasurer in the government before becoming premier last week has always had a very Sydney-centric focus,” he said.

“We’re in the middle of an unprecedented property boom and governments racking in stamp duty taxes, three-quarters of a million dollars last month alone, $10 billion a year in tax revenue.

“If we can’t build the new schools for our kids now, whenever can we?

“Let’s not squander the proceeds of a boom.”   

The school maintenance backlog drew particular focus by Mr Foley, who called on Gladys Berejiklian to visit the Hunter as soon as possible.

“A $105 million school maintenance backlog across the Hunter that’s an extraordinary figure,” he said.

“My message to the Premier: get up here quick smart.”

Shadow minister for the Hunter and Port Stephens MP Kate Washington said the increased backlog is for essential items.

“The maintenance backlog in the Hunter is not for luxury items in school, it’s for basic things like heaters and fans that don’t work,” she said.

“Hunter teachers and students need well-maintained facilities to create the best learning environments.”

Premier Berejiklian is a former minister for the Hunter and succeeded Mike Baird after his shock resignation.

Mr Baird was an advocate for the region, visiting Newcastle on a number of occasions, and campaigning for the light rail which is set to stretch along Hunter Street.

Tanya Plibersek visits St Mary's Catholic College at Gateshead

BY SARAH JAMES

Deputy Leader for the Opposition Tanya Plibersek and Member for Shortland Pat Conroy visited St Mary's Catholic College in Gateshead today to see how Gonski funding has benefited schools.

Schools across the Hunter region have been able to provide specialised support for students as well as employ more teachers under the Gonski scheme.

St Mary's Catholic College is one of two schools in the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese which is planning to introduce Years 11 and 12 over 2018 and 2019.

The Director of Schools for the Catholic Schools Officer of the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese, Dr Michael Slattery, said this extra funding is needed to provide the required resources, infrastructure and teaching staff needed to expand the school.

According to Pat Conroy, these expansions are being jeopardised by the Coalition Government's plan to cut $140 million in funding schools in the Hunter region.

Schools in the Shortland electorate are to see to miss out on $33 million of funding.

It is feared cuts to funding will result in fewer teachers and less one-on-one attention for students who require extra help with their study.

"This Government is refusing to confirm that it will fully fund years five and six of the Gonski's needs-based funding reforms as they promised to do," said Ms Plibersek.

"Under this Government, every child in every school in every system in every state will lose."

Hunter school maintenance backlog soars

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The NSW Department of Education’s latest annual report revealed a $281 million underspend in Hunter schools.

In 2014-15, the Baird Government were committed to investing $14.2 billion on education. Instead, the Department’s own report found there the underspend of $281 million.

Schools in the Hunter are currently facing maintenance backlogs totalling $70 million, with Maitland High School at $1.6 million and two high schools in Raymond Terrace sitting at $1.5 million in maintenance backlog.

The maintenance backlog consists of basic issues such as toilet and sewer repairs, painting, replacing windows, fixing damaged rooves and other general repairs.

The report also revealed in 2015 the government decreased spending on maintenance in Hunter schools by $26.6 million dollars increasing the maintenance backlog.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washington says that these small problems will only continue to rise, with the State Government failing to take responsibility.

"It continues to rise because government doesn't spend anything on fixing the small problems, so the small problems get bigger and bigger until it becomes this massive backlog and the government just puts its head in the sand".

"We've got the Federal government threatening to push more responsibility back onto the state government, the state government isn't taking the responsibility it needs to take already for our public schools. It's leaving a dire situation in our public schools".

There is also an increasing demand for a public high school at Medowie, as the community continues to grow making the underspend even more concerning.