19/12/02
Education Minister Alan Carpenter has announced a new Melville Primary School will be built on the upper or western oval of the current school site.
The land now occupied by the school buildings and carparks would be sold off to finance the redevelopment.
The intention was to sell about 3.5ha or less than half the eight-hectare site and the sale would be expected to raise more than $6million.
A new school would cost about $5million and any excess funds would be poured into an upgrade of Melville Senior High School.
"What we will get is a brand new, world class primary school and that's exactly what we should be providing in our public education system," Mr Carpenter said.
He said he made his decision after taking into consideration the Local Area Education Planning Consultation Report.
Sufficient consultation had taken place, with nine meetings of the consultation committee since June this year and with minutes being made public via the school website and bulletin boards. A public workshop was also held in September and three public hearings in November and December this year.
Mr Carpenter thanked everyone who had taken part in the consultation process.
"Some people will not be happy with the announcement but my job is not to try to agree with every single person, it is to make the right decision," he said.
"The easiest thing would have been to do nothing and avoid any conflict. On the other hand, the Kindergarten to Year 12 High School option was educationally the most exciting option, but I thought it put too much pressure on the site.
"The current school buildings are tired and outdated, restrict learning and teaching options and the maintenance costs are high.
"The total school site is about double the land space usually set aside for such developments, the two ovals cost a fortune, waste precious water and are very rarely used by the students.
"The students and staff deserve a world-class facility and they will get it, along with the big eastern oval bounded by McKnight Street and Rome Road at their disposal for recreation and sport activities."
Mr Carpenter said people who lived in the area knew the current ovals were 'lightly' used at best and that claims there was nowhere else in the area to kick a football were nonsense.
"Marmion Reserve, which includes a football oval, is 250m away and is used for junior football competition, as well as a number of other organised sports," he said.
"I expect the eastern oval will get more, not less, use after the redevelopment and I welcome discussions with Melville City Council on joint management and community access."
The Minister said Melville City Council was also free to make a bid to purchase that part of the site to be sold off.
It was hoped the new school would be open in 2005 or 2006.
Minister's office: 9213 6800
