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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-03-19 Daily Xml
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School Zoning

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (15:30): I rise today in the parliament to again inform the house of the great concern and deep hurt that the government has caused to the people of the south-western and western suburbs. I cannot tell you the anxiety caused to families by the minister's decision, without consultation and without notice, to change the zones, arbitrarily removing the western suburbs from the zones for Adelaide High School and Adelaide Botanic. The parents and families of Torrensville, Mile End, Hilton, Richmond, Kurralta Park, Glandore, Clarence Park and Black Forest are waking up every morning feeling greater anxiety and hurt about what the government has done.

When we arranged a walk to demonstrate to the government exactly how close the affected suburbs were to this western suburbs school that we had been excluded from, I was expecting maybe 50 to 100 people, but on that day police were overwhelmed by the numbers and blocked Henley Beach Road and Glover Terrace for the protesters. I congratulate and thank South Australia Police for their work. The parents who were there that day were not all Labor voters. Indeed, I spotted three Liberal Party volunteers who handed out how-to-vote cards for my opponent at the last state election. They were there in solidarity with their neighbours and their friends because this protest is not about the Labor Party or the Liberal Party: it is about fairness and equity.

This is a decision that grates at the very core of who we are as a state. Are we a fair and equitable state? Are we an egalitarian community, or are we ones who pick winners and losers in communities? Are we a government and a people who decide to divide people on the basis of their postcode rather than their ability to get to a school? The government can allow 85 international students into Adelaide High School but not zones' children. Those families growing up who can see the school from their homes have been excluded.

The minister was faced with a choice, and the choice was this going forward: there are 85 enrolments in the Adelaide High School from students internationally, and we encourage international enrolments in our public schools. There are plenty of schools that are not full or at capacity who could accept those international students. But rather than satisfy the zone first—that is, our citizens first—the government changed the zone.

You have to ask yourself this question: is it fair on the people of the western suburbs? Is it fair on any South Australian to see people who have not paid taxes in South Australia, and who have not lived here, be able to pay and use their wealth to get into a school at the expense of our local residents? I cannot think of a single South Australian other than the Minister for Education, the Premier and all the members opposite who think that is a good idea. Otherwise, they would be joining us on this side of the parliament opposing these arbitrary zone changes.

How would members opposite feel if at Norwood Morialta High School an international student were given preference over someone residing in the seat of Hartley? I know what the Speaker would do. What would the member for Unley do if a constituent of his were excluded from Unley High School for an international student? It does not make sense. Again and again we plead with the government: reverse your decision. You are hurting ordinary people. You are hurting ordinary families. You are dividing classrooms.

I posted a video of young Oliver, who is lucky enough to remain in the zone, living in the same suburb of Mile End as his classmates who cannot attend the same school because they are a few metres away from the zone that the minister has now redrawn without consultation. This is breaking the hearts of those young kids. Our entire culture is built on the idea that your classmates become your friends for life. My friends still to this day—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —are my friends from Adelaide High School. Why? Because we all grew up in the western suburbs.

The Hon. V.A. Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The Deputy Premier does not show me disrespect today: she shows the western suburbs disrespect today, again.

The Hon. V.A. Chapman: No, you did nothing for our people in 16 years.

The SPEAKER: Order, Deputy Premier!

The Hon. V.A. Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Deputy Premier, I am trying to give the call to the member for Waite.

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