Tweed MP Geoff Provest has commented that a high school will not be required for Pottsville even with 20,000 people moving to the Tweed area over the next five years ‘as we don’t know how many retirees there will be’.
If we look at the current population figures, 7.7 per cent of the population is high-school aged and 8.3 per cent primary-school aged. This would indicate that out of the 20,000 people, 1,540 will be high-school aged and 1,660 will be primary-school aged.
With the developments happening outside of Tweed Heads, not near the hospital, bowls club or twin towns, these figures are likely to be higher than lower.
The private schools are full so we will not see the normal 30 per cent blending off of these new arrivals.
Mr Provest stated at the election that there were 880 places available with adjustments to the current high schools for the future.
So with about half the places needed to support the next five years growth, Mr Provest’s statement show a lack of understanding of the demographics in his electorate or a lack of will to fight for the infrastructure needed on behalf of the electorate.
Matthew France, Pottsville
Matthew,
With the success of the Splendour in the Grass music festival, year in year out in the mud, any growth from that festival promotion in the Wooyung-Pottsville corridor will be from young people and young marrieds and that means the birth rate may rise in that area. Splendour in the Grass is known all over Australia.