Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a wet and wintry night in May this year I attended a meeting of parents in Caroline Springs concerned that the promise of sufficient places in Christ the Priest Catholic Primary School was to be thwarted by a decision not to give them land to build their second campus. Expecting to see about 20 or so attendees, you can imagine my surprise on entering the school hall to come upon 300 distraught parents. Twice since, I have raised in this place their concern about not having the land granted to them but instead to an outside company, ICA, which to date has not provided education to one student in Australia—yet ICA was to be given preference.

Many constituents told me they moved to Caroline Springs on the undertaking that a second Catholic campus would be built. In order to find a solution, I met with local parents group CONNED, Melton council, Delfin Lend Lease, Christ the Priest Catholic Primary School, the Catholic Education Office and ICA. I am happy to inform the House that the local public school has now come to an arrangement with Delfin Lend Lease and has found a suitable parcel of land in the north of Caroline Springs, where a second Catholic campus will be built.

I congratulate all the parties involved, particularly Anthony McCluskey, principal of the school, the Catholic Education Office, Pat Gurrie from CONNED, Martin Gaedeke from Delfin, Councillor Justin Mammarella, Andre Haermayer and all the parents who did not give up. This result shows not only the power of community protest but also the commonsense and goodwill of all parties concerned in ensuring that parents in Caroline Springs are provided with suitable choices for their children’s education.