Clarence Nationals MP, Richie Williamson, has tabled a petition calling on the NSW Labor Government to rebuild flood-impacted Broadwater Public School as a matter of urgency.
The petition, spearheaded by Broadwater Public School Parents and Citizens Association, demands the NSW Government withdraw the current unnecessary development application before Richmond Valley Council.
It calls for the issuing of development approval 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 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 June 10.
"The P & C Association has done a tremendous job circulating the petition amongst the local community and it was my privilege to table it in the Legislative Assembly on their behalf," Mr Williamson said.
"I also spoke in the Parliament 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."
"Students have had it tough. They are still temporarily located at Evans Head. It is a 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.
"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."
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.
