Petition launched to get kids back to their school

By Samantha Elley

School students from Broadwater just want to be able to walk or ride their bikes to their school.

This will not happen anytime soon, according to Broadwater Public School P&C Association secretary Emma Crethar, due to the government’s choice of planning approval for repairs after the February 2022 flood.

Despite other schools in the Northern Rivers area, in the process of being renovated, were put through the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) planning pathway, used for state government public infrastructure projects, the repairs for Broadwater Public School have been issued with a development application that has gone through Richmond Valley Council.

“The DA process at lightning speed will take at best, six months before the school can be used,” said State Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, who was on hand to launch the petition against the development application process, with support from the P&C.

“Using the REF process, it can be approved by the end of the week.”

Richie Williamson with local residents at Broadwater Public School.

Mr Williamson said he has written to the state education minister, Ms Prue Car, to ask why the government has chosen to go down the DA path for Broadwater school, rather than the REF path, as has been done with local schools at Empire Vale and Wardell.

“As yet I cannot answer why, as I am waiting to hear back,” he said.

Mr Williamson said the project could be completed in just eight weeks as it’s a pre-fabricated build that is almost finished.

A project update from School Infrastructure NSW stated that while a REF pathway was initially considered for Broadwater, it was decided a DA pathway was preferable.

“This is due to the nature and location of the Broadwater Public School site, and the need for the assessment to be rigorous and transparent,” the update said.

No explanation around what the nature is or why the location made a difference was forthcoming in the update.

Ms Crethar said there were students in Kindergarten and Year One who were yet to even experience their school.

“Right now they are learning in demountables at Evans Head K-12 school,” she said.

Broadwater Public School

“They have a small school sectioned off and the playground is not big enough for kids to really play.

“They have to take a 40 minute bus ride and don’t get home until 4.15pm.

“The kids just want to ride their bikes to school.”

The petition has been launched in Broadwater and the surrounding areas requesting the state government do the following:

• Withdraw the current development application that is before Richmond Valley Council.
• Issue development consent using the traditional method of a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) planning pathway that is common practice for State Government public infrastructure projects.

Any NSW citizen can sign the petition which will be available in local businesses or by contacting Mr Williamson’s office on 6643 1244 or online here.  Original signatures are required on all Petitions.

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