Site for Libs’ Torquay P-12 plan: ‘Quay’ to school

Hamish Heard
The Liberal party has earmarked a site at Torquay for a pre-election promise of a stand-alone secondary school.
Candidate for South Barwon Michael King said the party was “exploring options” for a years-seven-to-12 school at The Quay development, off Horseshoe Bend Road.
The announcement follows the Labor party revealing architect plans for its years-seven-to-nine secondary school in last week’s Independent.
Mr King said The Quay was a logical site after Surf Coast Shire earmarked it for an educational precinct in a long-term infrastructure development plan.
“The council has identified this land and set it aside for educational purposes in its structure plan, so we would look to negotiate with the land owners to arrive at a satisfactory outcome,” he said.
“The fact is we need to purchase a site and that’s certainly one of the options we’re exploring.”
Mr King said classes for year-seven students would commence at the proposed stand-alone secondary school within the first term of a Baillieu Government.
The school would form part of a sport facilities and educational hub on Horseshoe Bend Road, he said.
“There is a clear choice for parents going into next weekend’s election: vote Labor for half a secondary school or vote Liberal for a fully-funded year seven to 12 school on its own dedicated site,” Mr King said.
But Labor Member for South Barwon Michael Crutchfield poured scorn on the promise, labeling it “pie in the sky”.
“The fact is (the stand-alone secondary school) is unfunded and there’s no definitive site.”
Mr Crutchfield said the Bracks Government was committed to beginning construction of the P-9 school next year.
Classes for year seven students would begin in 2008.
“(Labor’s) plan is for the first stage of secondary provision in Torquay and I’m certainly not ruling out a future expansion to include up to year 12 at some point in the future,” he said.