Developer Mirvac and WSU entered an agreement last year to develop the site for medium density housing but still need rezoning approval from the NSW Planning Department.
Last Wednesday, NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay joined Shadow Education Minister Prue Car and Labor Spokesperson for East Hills, MLC Anthony D’Adam, at the site to call on Premier Gladys Berejiklian and East Hills MP Wendy Lindsay to guarantee a new school.
“If the Liberals are approving higher population targets for this area, they have to build the schools,” Ms McKay said.
Ms Car said parents in Milperra and the surrounding suburbs had little to no access to a co-ed school, adding that a crackdown on out of area enrolments, was “forcing high school students toward single-sex schools”.
In December, the Canterbury Bankstown Council also called on the Federal and State Liberal Governments to support a new school on the site.
Labor Councillor Steve Tuntevski said there was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to retain the site for educational purposes rather than having to rebuild later “at a greater cost and disruption to the community”.
“The facilities at the campus are high quality and modern, in contrast, our local schools are falling apart, there ageing, in poor condition and full of old demountables,” he said.
However Ms Lindsay hit back accusing Labor of neglecting schools in East Hills for years.
She said Ms McKay was also being hypocritical by saying she didn’t want development on the site because the Labor dominated council had “done a deal with WSU to shift the campus to Bankstown”.
“I have always strongly advocated … for the right infrastructure to be in place for our growing population, including schools and that the Milperra University site remains as an educational facility,” Ms Lindsay said.
