NSW Breaking News
Return to schools: No date change without consultation
Return to schools: No date change without consultation
The Independent Education Union, which represents 32,000 teachers and support staff in the non-government sector, is deeply concerned about the possibility canvassed today by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian via the media that students could return to schools earlier than the dates already planned, beginning on October 25.
“We are again frustrated by the lack of consultation with principals, teachers and school support staff through their union,” IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews said. “There are no government guidelines in place about ventilation and air filtration in schools and the NSW Government, unlike the Victorian Government, is not funding non-government schools to achieve improvements. NSW non-government schools are only just starting to take steps in this area.”
The Premier did not provide a specific date when pressed by the media but said that because NSW had reached its 70 percent double-vaccinated target sooner than expected, she was “foreshadowing” an earlier reopen date for schools. “We are carefully considering options to get kids to school earlier if we can,” she said. “We have been looking at this issue but at this stage, parents should plan for the 25th [of October] but we are looking at options to bring things forward.”
Again, no mention of the teachers and support staff who would be required to facilitate this rushed return to schools. The current plan is for stages: Year 12, kindergarten and Year 1 to return on 25 October; Years 2, 6 and 11 on 1 November; and the rest on 8 November.
“The IEU considers this current staged plan of returning students and their teachers to school to be the safest option,” Matthews said. “It enables schools to make adjustments to premises and processes as the necessity becomes apparent.”
The union is also concerned about the potential for outbreaks in schools and what this will mean. Will impacted schools need to close again, leading to more disruption?
While the NSW Government has mandated that all school staff must be vaccinated by 8 November, many students will not be vaccinated. At this stage, only a small percentage of 12-15-year-olds are vaccinated, and primary school students have no vaccine on offer to them – yet the Delta variant of COVID-19 spreads rapidly among children. Everyone’s health and wellbeing is at stake.
“The IEU calls on the NSW Government to engage with teachers and support staff through their representative unions about any changes to the current plan to return to schools,” Matthews said. “We understand the pressures parents are under, but we urge the government to remember that schools are also workplaces, and the safety of all staff and students is our paramount concern.”
‘Don’t Forget Us!’ say Bungawalbyn, Woodburn and Coraki Residents.
By Kate Coxwell.
The Resilient Homes Program, which was created to provide assistance to home owners to restore and flood protect their homes and lives from future events has rejected over 5000 of the applicants out of just over 6000 in total, resulting in a rally which last weekend saw the Clarence electorate, Woodburn, Coraki, Bungawalbin, Broadwater, Wardell and surrounding rural townships came out in force, back to the bridge where National media had filmed them stranded, in the floods, nearly 18 months ago.
$750 million dollars of promised flood recovery funds seemingly disappeared the week prior, and over 5000 residents affected by floods were called by Service NSW staff to say “you are ineligible” as the NRRC also released new flood zone maps excluding the 2022 data and itself dissolved within days in the same week, the buck now stopping with the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Authority.
The Resilient Homes Program, which was created to provide assistance to home owners to restore and flood protect their homes and lives from future events has rejected over 5000 of the applicants out of just over 6000 in total, resulting in a rally which last weekend saw the Clarence electorate, Woodburn, Coraki, Bungawalbin, Broadwater, Wardell and surrounding rural townships came out in force, back to the bridge where National media had filmed them stranded, in the floods, nearly 18 months ago.
Arguably, these communities were the hardest hit, with some residents being stranded for over 3 weeks with no access in or out, some stranded for 6 in the worst hit areas of Bungawalbyn, and no one other than their own community, coming to provide life saving medical and supply runs of food and water. This community says it is still feeling forgotten, as many homes, being classed as rural, have been made automatically ineligible, while some others, where water reached the ceiling fans, due to the new mapping, deemed ‘safe’.
With over 300 people attending the rally, standing across the span of the Woodburn Bridge, it was very well attended. Local MP’s Janelle Saffin (State for Lismore) and Richie Williamson (State for Clarence) as well as Mayor Robert Mustow.
In an address to the crowd MP Richie Williamson said “This is a humanitarian crisis we are dealing with, the Premier agreed. We need to do better- the Government, the politicians-everyone in the decision-making chain needs to do better.”
Whilst MP Janelle Saffin said “You say you feel forgotten. I have not forgotten you. It was an inland tsunami. Despite not representing Woodburn, you are in my heart!”
Both MP’s and the Mayor were supportive of the Tranch 2 funding proposed, and had recently attended Sydney, speaking to Parliament as a group, about the needs of the community.
One member of the Coraki community recalled “how even in the second major 2022 flood, there was only 2 SES on that day, despite all warnings and extra support sent from around the State, we were forgotten, and the community who had been helping us with supplies, people who live among us who had also lost everything, they were the ones who came, with emergency medical supplies, food and assistance for those trapped again.”
Lyndall Murray from the Hands and Hearts Project, a project which has come together to do what the Government simply hasn’t, and that is to restore 100 homes, with their small team of 16 volunteers, said “The Hands and Hearts Project is doing what the Government won’t. The NRRC decision broke my heart.”
This time, the community is coming together to say “We count- Don’t Forget us!” and has formed a petition, asking for all who care about them to sign it. The petition can be found here: www.dontforgetus.com.au
To see more news on the 2022 floods, please see our other recent posts.
Severe Heatwave Alert for Northern NSW: Stay Safe and Hydrated
‘Slow Grind’ Ahead for Australia’s Economy in 2025
A Step-By-Step Guide to Growing Your Own Avocado Tree
Sony and Honda’s Electric Car Unveiled: Afeela 1 Promises High-Tech Luxury, But at a Price
KGM SsangYong Electric Ute and 2025 Actyon SUV Confirmed for Australia
China’s Property Crash: A Cautionary Tale for Australia’s Housing Market
A NEW TWEED HEADS
Toyota Supra: Get Ready For A Fully Electric Version In 2025
Northern Rivers Local Health District COVID-19 update
Northern Rivers COVID-19 update
Fears proposed residential tower will ‘obliterate’ Tweed neighbourhood’s amenity and charm
COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic now open at Lismore Square
Multiple people penalised for level crossing offences in Tamworth and Currabubula
Transport for NSW and NSW Police Crack Down on Level Crossing Offences in Tamworth and Currabubula Transport for NSW...
Muval migration data for the first six months of 2024
Muval migration data for the first six months of 2024 According to national online removalist booking platform Muval, which has...
Call for more mates to support Port Macquarie’s Sailability
Call for more mates to support Port Macquarie’s Sailability Vision available: https://tinyurl.com/mrz9nhz7 The Port Macquarie community group, Sailability, is calling...
-
Tweed Shire News2 years agoA NEW TWEED HEADS
-
Motoring News2 years agoToyota Supra: Get Ready For A Fully Electric Version In 2025
-
COVID-19 Northern Rivers News3 years agoNorthern Rivers Local Health District COVID-19 update
-
COVID-19 Northern Rivers News3 years agoNorthern Rivers COVID-19 update
-
Northern Rivers Local News3 years agoFears proposed residential tower will ‘obliterate’ Tweed neighbourhood’s amenity and charm
-
Health News4 years agoCOVID-19 Vaccination Clinic now open at Lismore Square
-
COVID-19 Northern Rivers News3 years agoLismore Family Medical Practice employee close contact
-
NSW Breaking News3 years agoVale: Former NSW prison boss Ron Woodham
