Mike Baird | Member for Manly - Call for Parliamentary Debate on Seaforth TAFE

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Call for Parliamentary Debate on Seaforth TAFE

Wed 4 March - Member for Manly, Mike Baird, has taken the first step in an attempt to force to the NSW Government to seek the approval of Parliament before the sale of any public education land.

�Today in Parliament I gave Notice of a Motion, condemning the NSW Labor Government�s act of education vandalism in its plans to sell Seaforth TAFE, � Mr Baird said.

�The motion calls on the Government to bring all school land sales, including Seaforth TAFE and all others proposed in the mini-budget, to Parliament, so any sale of public education land is voted on and debated publicly before it occurs.

�In addition, the motion condemns the Rees Government for selling public education land to balance the budget books�.

�We challenge the Government to respond to this Motion, and bring the land sales to Parliament where they can be debated and voted on publicly.

�Public education should not be sold off when ever the Treasurer is running short of cash.

�Nor should the Government change the rules which now allow for the money raised from the sales to be diverted into consolidated revenue rather than being returned to the education budget.

�At a time when there is increasing demand on our local education services, the NSW Government is simply using them as a cash cow.

�The NSW Labor Government has shown its disregard for public education by shutting down Seaforth TAFE in 1999 and allowing the site to lay idle for almost a decade,� Mr Baird said.

The NSW Department of Planning has now issued a site compatibility certificate to allow a development application for the site, to be lodged with Manly Council.

Media Contact: Wendy Black 0418 532 534

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Comments (12)

Seaforth TAFE _Building Education Revolu

The Building Education Revolution is the perfect opportunity for work to be done on the Seaforth TAFE site under refurbishing existing facilities. The Federal Govt is spending money anyhow on primary and secondary schools. Why can\'t the TAFE be an exception. The work will still boost the economy in the form of work for the construction workers. Then it can help the much needed site for apprenticeship training.

Posted by: julieo at 05-03-2009 17:37

Sale of Department of Education land

Mike, I couldn't agree more. The sale of (school) land should be a matter of debate before sale. We have a duty to current and following generations to ensure "resources" are there to cater for a growing population and to make us a smart country for secondary, trade and uni graduates. Keep up the good work.

Posted by: Bruce O'Toole at 05-03-2009 19:49

Seaforth Tafe

Good start, Mike. But how about iif a school community such as Seaforth Public School feel they have excess land that the proceeds from the public education land sell-off go to the most needy govt schools?

Posted by: keelah Lam at 05-03-2009 19:59

Parlmnt debate on sale of Seaforth TAFE

The proposed debate is spot on and if the Govt refuses to debate the matter, it will be further proof of its total cynicism and its ineffectual condition. In any such debate, the residnets' wishes - as per the plebescite last year - should be well aired.

Posted by: Andrew L. Urban at 05-03-2009 20:26

SEAFORTH TAFE

Mike is to be congratulated on his initiative regarding the Seaforth TAFE. If however, the State Government ignores this plea, to put the education of our children first, and the site is sold for redevelopment, it should be subject to the same planning rules that apply to the rest of Seaforth Village. After commissioning several architects, parking and traffic studies, the Seaforth Community TAFE Development Action Group put forward a sensitive proposal in the May 2008 Seaforth poll, and which was heavily supported with 1,171 yes votes from the Seaforth Community. Manly Council, as the consent authority, should ensure the $100,000 cost of the poll is not wasted, and that any proposed development on the Seaforth TAFE site is similarly sensitive to issues of parking, traffic, village charm, education, community benefit and general amenity.

Posted by: GEORGE CITER at 06-03-2009 04:38

Call for Parliamentary Debate on Seafort

My local church parish has up to 6 to a dozen christenings every couple of Sundays. I'm just wondering where some of these children will seek their TAFE education in years to come if sites like the Seaforth one are going to be sold off to developers (we know who will be the greater beneficiaries here - certainly not the community!).
John

Posted by: JOHN ROBERTS at 06-03-2009 07:51

the sale of any public education land.

I strongly agree that is a short mind expedience to sell for a quick fix, detect by short therm result at the expenses of future blessing on the future.
Keep the faith going against bureaucrat of the education who are in need to go back tot university to learn economy.
Also is some one interest to make money??
Certainly is and they can be very generous with board!!
Thank you Wendy ,you have a young family with lovely children keep stand for Justice and God will make you succeed.
Love in Jesus Luigi Rosolin

Posted by: Luigi Rosolin at 06-03-2009 22:27

SEAFORTH TAFE

well done mike.it is an absolute disgrace that it as ever closed and the government should not prosper from this .the tafe has been standing idle for years.the fencing has been rolled back so i wouldnt be surprised if some damage has been done. the government should certainly not prosper just because they are overspending and are short of money.

Posted by: linda whitely at 17-03-2009 15:29

How about a Co-Ed High School in Seafort

Has anyone considered that if you\\\'re not catholic and you want your kids to learn at a co-ed High School - there aren\\\'t too many choices around the Balgowlah / Seaforth area!

How about we lobby for a High School on the old Tafe site???

Posted by: Matt at 28-05-2009 22:21

Seaforth TAFE

Mike, I've just moved to Seaforth and am flabbergasted that a building of the scale of the former Seaforth TAFE can be left idle for over 10 years. What is the soon-to-be- elected Liberal Government going to do about this site? If the TAFE isn't going to be reinstated or replaced by a community centre or high school, surely sanity will prevail and we'll get something useful like a Balgowlah Stockland shopping centre equivalent?

Posted by: Ryan at 01-06-2010 11:11

reply to Ryan

Hi Ryan
Agree that it's a disgrace the TAFE site has sat idle for a decade. We are committed to retaining it for public education but we also understand Manly Council is currently discussing other community options. Be assured it will not continue to be an eyesore or wasted asset should we be elected in March next year!
Please stay in touch.
Cheers
Mike

Posted by: Mike Baird at 03-06-2010 09:24

Seaforth TAFE

Seaforth TAFE stands as a monument to Labor ineptitude along with the RTA's Seaforth Fence. Driving the life & soul out of Seaforth Village.. It's a disgrace which derserves exmination.

Posted by: Anton Horak at 09-06-2010 12:06