A Petition spearheaded by Broadwater Public School Parents and Citizens Association calling on the NSW Government to rebuild flood impacted Broadwater Public School as a matter of urgency has been tabled in the NSW Parliament by Clarence Nationals MP, Richie Williamson.
The Petition demands the NSW Government withdraw the current unnecessary development application before Richmond Valley Council and issue development using the traditional method of a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) planning pathway which is common practice for State Government public infrastructure projects.
Mr Williamson said he presented the Petition of more than 500 signatures to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Greg Piper and will now await the Government’s formal response which is due by 10 June 2024.
“The P & C Association has done a tremendous job circulating the Petition amongst the local community and it was my privilege to table the Petition in the Legislative Assembly on their behalf,” Mr Williamson said.
“I also spoke in the NSW Parliament on Wednesday evening in a further effort to back the school community in their attempts to get the kids back on campus as a matter of priority.
“It was wonderful to have the Member for Lismore and Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery, Janelle Saffin in the Chamber during my speech who indicated she is 100% behind me on this.
“We are asking the Government to override the bureaucracy and withdraw the DA from Council and get cracking on the rebuild.”
Mr Williamson highlighted in his speech that the Minister, in consultation with the Minister for Planning, has the authority to bypass the DA process and approve the rebuild as a State significant infrastructure project.
“Students have had it tough. They are still temporarily located at Evans Head. It is trek for them every day. They are leaving for school earlier and getting home later. They just want to be back in their school,” Mr Williamson told Parliament.
“Not only have they lived through COVID, but they have also lived through a shocking flood event which has deeply impacted and scarred the community.
“I acknowledge that Broadwater Public School is not the biggest school in NSW but it is a very important community asset for the kids, mums, dads, pops, nans and teachers of Broadwater.
“I have spoken to the School Captain, Leah. She is a School Captain without a school. She wants to provide her fellow students with a great place to be educated, so I am again urging the Minister for Education to do everything possible to get development consent approved for the rebuild of Broadwater Public School so the kids can get back on campus.
A full copy of Mr Williamson’s Private Member’s Statement can be found here -https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-140596/link/2292.
PHOTO: Clarence Nationals MP Richie Williamson presents the Broadwater Public School Petition to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Greg Piper.
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