THE need for a public high school in Medowie has been firmly put on the state election agenda.
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Sixty families rallied in the town on Sunday to emphasise the need for a high school, and they called on Labor candidate for Port Stephens Kate Washington to make the need a reality.
Ms Washington said their message “could not be clearer” and the town had enough students living in it to sustain a high school.
She said there were more than 1000 primary school aged children, and another 1000 in outlying townships.
The absence of a high school means students have to travel to Newcastle, Raymond Terrace, Maitland or Nelson Bay, and in a lot of cases they leave as early as 7am and return after 4.30pm.
Ms Washington likened the “gruelling” regime to the work.
“Prior to the 2011 State election, Liberal Member for Port Stephens, Craig Baumann, acknowledged the need for a public high school in Medowie and the Liberal party committed to immediately commence planning. Since then, nothing has happened,” Ms Washington said.
“They travel long distances, over long hours, on buses without seatbelts with many children forced to stand.”
The Maitland Catholic Diocese bought land in the town to build a primary and high school because of the demand, and the NSW Department of Education bought land in Medowie for a high school in 1993.