FURTHER DETAILS PROVIDE REASSURANCE FOR GILLIESTON SCHOOL REDEVELOPMENT

Member for Maitland, Jenny Aitchison MP, P&C President Katie Ferguson and members of the Gillieston community are relieved to see that finally more details have been provided regarding the redevelopment of Gillieston Public School.

In the 2022/23 State Budget, $1.73 million was committed to Gillieston Public School after an eight-year campaign for the redevelopment of the severely neglected School but failed to provide details in relation to the completion date and an estimate of the scale of the redevelopment.

In the recently released School Infrastructure NSW 2022-23 Delivery Strategy, Gillieston Public School is listed as one of 23 major capital works projects added with the funding estimate falling between the $25M-$75M category.

When the report was printed in August 2022, the appointment of a Project Manager for planning and delivery, Architect, Cost Manager, Civil Structural and Building Services Engineers were all listed as ‘Jul-Sept 2022’ and a Building Contractor expected to be appointed in July – September 2023.

Ms Aitchison has requested an update from the Minister for Education to ensure that these positions have now been appointed and the delivery for the redevelopment is on track.

Comments attributable to the Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison:

“I am so pleased that finally the redevelopment of Gillieston Public School is progressing and is going to become a reality.”

“I have been working side by side with members of the Gillieston School community since before I was elected to Parliament to pressure the Government to invest and bring the school up to a 21st century standard, and finally we are seeing some action.”

“It’s a disgrace that it’s taken 12 long years to get the Liberal National Government to even admit there is a problem and to act.”

Comments attributable to P&C President – Katie Ferguson:

“We all knew that the $1.73 million announced in the June Budget was nowhere near enough to ensure the school received the infrastructure that it desperately needed.”

“I’m so pleased that after all of these years campaigning we finally have some funding figures and dates written on paper for the community to see.”

“I’ve been working closely with Jenny and we won’t stop knocking on doors until we have the finished project that a children and community deserve.”