Taskforce announced

The Minister for Education Bronwyn Pike has announced the formation of a taskforce to examine the need for a high school for Coburg and the surrounding community. This is the taskforce first announced by Member for Pascoe Vale, Christine Campbell on 30/11/2009. That's four and a half months ago.

High School for Coburg thank Minister Pike for her commitment to look at this long standing issue and look forward to participating in a truly independent taskforce to examine the over whelming need for secondary education options for the community.

The taskforce needs to call for community submissions to reflect the needs and wants of the whole community. Minister Pike has said she is concerned a Coburg High would not be used.  HSC remind her that 96% of the respondents in the HSC parental attitudes and intentions survey have said they would send their children to a Coburg High. Her statistics are incomplete and misleading and her obvious bias makes it imperative that this task force has an independent chairperson and a mandate to be truly impartial. We are looking forward to getting stuck in and finishing the report as soon as possible so local parents can have plenty of time to read the report before the elections in November.

According to the Minister for Education's press release, the taskforce will consult with the local Coburg community – including Member for Pascoe Vale Christine Campbell, local school principals and school councils, the High School for Coburg group and Moreland City Council. It will also assess local demographic information from Moreland City Council, primary school enrolments, parents’ intention for the secondary education of their children, maternal and child health records and future housing capacity in Coburg. The review is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.

Education is a major issue in our local community and is set to become an even bigger issue in light of the $1 billion Coburg re-development and the Kodak and Pentridge redevelopments which have so far failed to take into account the growing social infrastructure needs of the area.

State Planning Logic 101

by Cate Hall


1. A growth area is only a growth area if it is an Outer Growth Area

At a High School for Coburg sausage sizzle at Coburg Mall in early March, we were approached by an employee of the transport planning department who told us that Coburg is a drop in the ocean compared to the outer growth areas which are competing for infrastructure spending and that we didn't stand a chance. Even though Coburg is growing - with Pentridge and the pending Coburg Initiative and former Kodak site redevelopment and increased birthrates and influx of families, it does not to qualify as a growth area. This is ridiculous.

Justin Madden's new outer Growth Area planning guidelines say that if the population is 30,000, provision for a high school is needed. Coburg plus Coburg North hit that population mark years ago and we require secondary education provision to ensure equity of access.The Coburg Initiative alone should qualify Coburg as having needs comparable to an Outer Growth Area.

With the cessation of government plans to grow Melbourne outside it's current boundary due to the collapse of the proposed growth area tax, growing areas like Coburg may now have a chance of getting the infrastructure provision required.

2. If they are leaving because it is not there, you don't need to provide it

Justin Madden in a letter last year to MP Robin Scott acknowledged that there is a pattern of families leaving the Coburg and West Preston areas when their children reach secondary school age but with breathtaking logic goes on to say that is why a secondary school is not required.

Of course the community knows that many families make the difficult decision to leave Coburg and West Preston as their children approach high school age because there is no state high school.

Local real estate agents have gone on record in the Moreland Leader confirming this, as did HSC's Moreland Council assisted survey showing over 50 % leaving because no high school but 96% saying they would support local school if it existed.

3. It is not necessary to do community consultation across the road from a major development if that is the next municipality

The DPCD appear not to have felt the need to extend community consultation process for the redevelopment of the former Kodak site across the street into Darebin.

3 .1. Amendment : It is not necessary to inform residents across the road from a developement - even in same municipality. 

Playtime in the park

High School for Coburg would like to thank each of the 300 or so people who attended Playtime in the Park last Sunday. Thank you also to our sponsors and many generous locals who donated their time, musical talents, yummy baking and people power to make it a wonderful, fun day for everyone. 

It was a perfect gloriously sunny autumn day and families sat under shady trees watching the performers with the beautiful back drop of the lake behind the stage. We had Jane McCracken and her adorable children's choir, Ross McLennen, Short Order Schefs, comedienne Justine Sless and the nearly show stealing youth band - Boxty. To add to the all ages effort, the sound crew were Kath and Zach, two students from Essendon Keilor College who did an exceptional job.

1. jane and children's choir, 2. children's choir, 3. playtime in the park, 4. playtime in the park, 5. sausage sizzling, 6. queue for at the sausage sizzle, 7. darren, 8. playtime in the park, 9. banjo, 10. jane, 11. short order schefs, 12. playtime in the park, 13. playtime in the park, 14. justine sless, 15. playtime in the park, 16. the sound guy, 17. face painting, 18. cake stall, 19. robin and cate, 20. short order schefs, 21. beth and grace, 22. beth, 23. boxty, 24. playtime in the park, 25. playtime in the park

Given that HSC have been unable to identify any mechanism within the Northern Region of the Education Department for assessing or quantifying local education wants and needs, public support of events like Playtime in the Park is crucial. Each person who attended is helping HSC show that our community, which extends from West Preston to Coburg West, needs a state secondary school.

HSC's huge contact list of 1500 and fast growing number of Facebook fans also help to make that message loud and clear. Please join us on Facebook (and encourage your friends to become fans too), subscribe to this website (box on the top right hand side of the site) or sign up for the email list if you want your children to go to a high school in our community rather than having to travel to far flung suburbs. A local high school will benefit our whole community!

Playtime in the Park - Volunteers still needed!!

On Sunday March 14th, HSC is hosting Playtime in the Park and it promises to be a great event. However we still need volunteers to help run the event. Most spots require only a short committment on the day.

Set up and pack down
Contact Darren - darren@djscommunications.com.au or 0411089209
Help set up sound equipment, the marquee and banners. Help pack it up at the end of the day. Volunteers required for either the beginning or end of the day, or for both.


Cake stall
Contact Morena - morena3058@gmail.com or 0425880342
Bakers - bake cakes, biscuits, slices and muffins etc to fill our cake stall. Savoury items would be great too. Please bring baked items to the stall on the day, presented on a plastic or paper plate with a list of ingredients. We ask that items be baked within the last 24 hours and that they do not require refrigeration to be food safe - so no cream or raw eggs.
Cake stall volunteers - we need people to take shifts and run the cake stall, serving cakes and accepting donation.

Sausage Sizzle
Contact David - davidnunns@optusnet.com.au or 0430384483
Cooking on the barbeque, taking orders or serving sausages.


Facepainters
Dianne - diannemhartley@dodo.com.au
Turn kids into spidermen and fairies. Face paints provided and we will have some designs to work from or you can use your imagination.

This is a great opportunity to get involved in the HSC campaign, meet like minded people and take action. Remember our goal - a general entry all ages High School in Coburg. 

HSC submission regarding the Kodak Development Plan

Below is the submission from HSC regarding the Kodak Development Plan (available for download as a word doc here). The Kodak site in Elizabeth Street, North Coburg is a significant infill housing development. You can read more about the Kodak development here.

State Planning Services
Department of Planning and Community Development
GPO Box 500
EAST MELBOURNE VIC 3002

Monday 22 February 2010

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a submission by the group High School for Coburg (HSC) re the Kodak Development Plan in particular reference to infrastructure provision and need.

Early Years  

The report states that demand for early years facilities will decrease to 2020 however the company responsible for Moreland council population data, Id, say there is nothing to support this assumption. In their projections the 0-4 age group increases in North Coburg over that time. Therefore taking into account Kodak population as well, which isn’t factored in by id until 2019 it is impossible to come to the conclusion that the demand for early years facilties will decrease to 2020.

Id projections which the report was apparently based on shows an increase of only 6 couple families with children in Coburg North from 2006 to 2021. This is a clear underestimate when you consider just the Newlands part of Coburg North which is the relevant portion for Kodak to be considering. Id tell me this figure was reached by an offset of families where adult children are leaving. That may be the case for whole of North Coburg but the Newlands portion is experiencing huge influx of families with children as first home buyers

The report incorrectly states that there is occasional childcare at Newlands Community centre,  in fact this hasn’t been available for several years.

We ask that early years infrastructure provision and demand is looked at with more specificity and accuracy for the Newlands area.

Secondary Education Facilities 

We note that there is no mention of secondary education facilities for this area.

This was also the case with the Coburg Initiative early on, until community consultation identified the need for a high school to be the biggest equal issue for the Coburg community. (CI Speak Out in the Mall 2009 ) resulting in it's inclusion in the previous two CI newsletters.

There are 22 primary schools and yet not one open entry state secondary school servicing the Coburg and West Preston area.

Justin Madden MP acknowledges a trend for families to leave the area when their children reach high school age, he uses this trend as justification for no high school. HSC say families leave because there is no school and would stay and help build this community if there was a local high school. We have two directors of local real estate agents who back this up – they say people are leaving and also not moving in because there is no secondary school.

HSC’s survey report representing 556 local children also backs this argument. Over 50% said they were considering leaving due to no high school, where as 96% would use it if one existed.

The new Precinct Structure Planning Guidelines for growth area developments (launched by Justin Madden MP) state that at a population of 30,000 planning for secondary school should be included. HSC argue that Coburg is a growth area and the population of Coburg plus Coburg North had exceeded 30,000 back in 2006. Yet still no secondary school planned.

The guidelines also call for the following design response –“How are children encouraged to walk or cycle to school ?”

In Coburg North and in fact Coburg and West Preston, walking or cycling to school is not an option as there is no state secondary school for this community. This appears to be at odds with State, Federal and council aims to reduce green house gas emission and doesn’t allow for the health benefits and greater connectedness to community that come from active transport to school.

Minister Bronwyn Pike, in a letter to Kelvin Thompson MP  re HSC, said that "a provision plan is developed for each community."

Minister Pike said  "data considered for the plan includes population data, current and future demand and local community education needs.

Redevelopment of the Kodak and Pentridge sites and the likely number of families and children who will live in these areas will be considered as part of the overall facilities planning for both primary and secondary schools in Coburg."

DPCD and ID projections show the Coburg SLA has the greatest number of children and the highest expected growth in Moreland - add to this the very large number of children in West Preston and there is clearly great level of need for a secondary school and many families being denied equity of access to secondary education.

HSC asks that the report considers the Darebin side of Elizabeth Street when considering provision and demand as there is a Natural Neighbourhood which spans the Darebin and Moreland border and indeed the border of Pascoe Vale and Preston state electorates.

The Kodak development is occurring within this secondary education black hole which represents a major gap in provision and can only add to the need.

HSC asks that the community infrastructure report reflects this.

Yours sincerely,

Catherine Hall

Can you help us promote Playtime in the Park?

Playtime in the Park is shaping up to be a great afternoon. Not only do you get to show your support for a high school in Coburg but the entertainment looks fantastic! We have comedian Justine Sless, music from Short Order Schefs, Ross McLennan and Boxty. There will also be a sausage sizzle, cake stall and face painting, all in the beautiful surrounds of the Coburg Lake Reserve. Why not make a day of it and attend the MCPEG Walk in the Park in the morning then mosey on up to the lake? You'll be in good company, that's for sure.The rentention of open space, the need for a general entry high school, both big issues for Coburg right now.
HSC Three to a Page DL


We have flyers which you can print out and pass around, perhaps at work, school or childcare. HSC is also now on Facebook and we'd love it if you could find us and spread the word over there too.