01/09/2024
Getting serious on Education.
I would like to refer to the opinion Barry O’Rouke made in the CQ Today on the 29th June just gone, Barry spoke about the importance of education in CQ and how close it is to his heart, well Barry, I am calling you and the Labor party out!
Barry with the little time you have left in office, sort the overcrowded busses out that go and pick kids up from Gracemere to bring them into Rocky, make sure these busses actually turn up and no child is left behind at the side of the road, which by the way happens often.
Changing a child’s life through education, you have to actually get them there first!
I know of, Gracemere parents who call your office to get to the bottom of all this and you simply fob them off.
A meeting was held on the 6th of August in the morning at Gracemere for some of the parents to come and voice their concerns, all candidates and Barry were invited, Barry did not attend.
I know they have also tried to call Craig Marshal Labor’s candidate; he simply refers them back to Barry and he did not attend either, they have both since blocked these parents on social media and will no longer take their calls, when it gets too hard Labor just fold.
I also had the pleasure of talking with Margaret Strelow Independent candidate who did show up, but even though she was the mayor of Rockhampton in previous years, and knows what the exact issue is, she is not game to call it out or answer the questions I asked her myself; she just passed the buck onto the state government and included Robert Schwarten in her statement to me, bad blood I suspect, Bill Byrne might know more about this since he has now teamed up with Margaret.
Donna Kirkland knew of the meeting but decided not to come along, busy, I guess.
Its always politics before people from what I can tell and nothing more.
Anyway, back to Barry, if you take education seriously you would have got on the phone right away ensuring these companies get their act together and collect these kids on time in a safe manner which includes making sure they are not overcrowded.
God forbid an accident were to occur under current conditions.
We don’t want another bouncy castle incident scenario before action is taken to preserve life.
Also, you would have spent these last terms you have held in office pushing for a State High school to be built in Gracemere but alas not a peep, until now, and you can come up with any excuse you want, people are not buying it.
Considering though it is estimated that Rockhampton and Gracemere will grow 78% by 2041, planning for a High School in Gracemere should have been done during Barry’s term in office.
My opinion is the Labor party and the LNP are trying to con everyone, holding parents to ransom, we will build a high school if elected!!
That’s the latest from both sides anyway announced on August 16th.
I guess I could say the same, if elected One Nation will build a high school in Gracemere, well actually I have an ad on 4RO publicly stating we will build a high school in Gracemere minus the if elected part as I refuse hold constituents to ransom.
The point is if all parties support a high school, it really should not matter who gets elected, it should be built anyway as it is needed, if One Nation gets elected and they don’t help build a high school you know they were all full of it.
I might add that Steven miles was in Gracemere on the 16th to announce funding for the school but when he seen a couple of the local parents and myself, they packed up and left the site with their tails between their legs.
And this is the guy currently running QLD, can’t even handle a couple of parents and a candidate from a different party, what a joke.
It is common though that the duopoly and others never look beyond their actual time in office, so I am not surprised the school still has not been built.
You also mentioned about the funding for Rockhampton Special school and was proud that “every Queensland child can access a safe and inclusive education”, but when a mother who cannot get her child with additional needs into the school and has come to you for help you fob her off just like the Gracemere parents (there is a pattern forming here).
This particular mother’s child was previously enrolled at the special school but circumstances meant she had to move to a different town, now she has come back to call Rocky home again and the school has denied her child, her child has now fallen through the cracks and I know of many other children who have suffered the same fate.
One of these children’s mothers came and spoke to you on the 16th at the announcement, I started to record the convo with the ladies permission of course, at which point you refused to answer any questions and shied away, later I found out you did make some phone calls and only now after you were confronted and recorded did you get her in contact with the right people, she had previously reached out to your office for help to no avail, funny thing being recorded hay.
The inclusive education program which talks about Equity and Excellence: realising the potential of every student, it is clearly failing, fact.
Schools in CQ are at critical staff levels and more teachers are leaving the industry then those being trained, even department heads and headmasters are now having to take classes which in turn leave the administration in tatters.
The points system is part of this issue and needs to be addressed.
I commend all those teachers and teachers’ aides who are trying their best to hold it all together and thank you for doing so.
The education system is at the point where it is about to collapse in a signification way and our children will be left behind.
One Nation has an education policy to address these issues.
David Bond
One Nation candidate for Rockhampton & Gracemere
