Labor will build two new schools in the Maitland area if it is elected on March 28.
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Opposition Leader Luke Foley came to the Hunter yesterday to announce that Labor had
earmarked $25 million for a new primary school in the Rutherford/Aberglasslyn area and $40 million for a new high school in Maitland.
He said the primary school would be the first priority and Labor would identify an appropriate site if elected.
While he would not be drawn on a specific timeframe for the schools to be built, he did not rule out the primary school being built in the first term of a Foley government, nor did he commit to having the school built in the next four years.
“The Lower Hunter is a booming region and Rutherford Primary School is at the edge of its capacity, with about 700 students enrolled in the school,” Mr Foley said.
“A new primary school is a necessity and Labor will deliver it without the need to privatise the electricity network.”
Money for the school will come from Labor’s $3 billion Better Schools and Hospitals Fund.
“I’ve listened to what community representatives have been saying in Maitland, particularly [Labor candidate] Jenny Aitchison,” he said.
“There’s $5 billion in Restart NSW funds and there are $5 billion in revenue that will be raised by deferring the abolition of three business stamp duty taxes.”
Liberal candidate for Maitland Steve Thomson questioned whether the announcement was a commitment for this election given that Labor did not have land and had not committed to build the new schools in the next four years.
Mr Foley stopped in Maitland yesterday during a tour through the Hunter on his campaign bus, the side of which was emblazoned with the Labor leader’s face.
He announced the promise for the new schools with Ms Aitchison at McKeachies Sportsground.
“The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy makes it very clear that we are going to need more schools to provide a quality education for our children in coming years,” Ms Aitchison said.
Last month, Education Minister Adrian Piccoli told the Mercury that the government had not identified a need for any new schools in Maitland, despite the region’s growing population.
But the government had previously allocated $20 million for major upgrades at Bolwarra Public School and Rutherford Technology High School to cope with the growing population.