Budget snubs students
Anger after no funding for car park
A MOTHER pushing for safety improvements at a Toowoomba school accused the State Government of not valuing students’ lives after it failed to fund the project in the state budget.
Melissa Greensill’s petitions asking for a new car park to be built at Glenvale State School were signed by about 1000 other parents and residents in the western suburbs.
Hopes for the project lifted last week after Education Minister Grace Grace said planning had begun with the Toowoomba Regional Council for a car park site.
But Mrs Greensill was angry after she found no funding for the car park in Tuesday’s budget from Treasurer Jackie Trad.
“I was so hopeful and I am beyond disappointed. I don’t even have the words, because they’ve said that the lives of 800 primary school students don’t even matter,” she said.
“When a child is hurt coming or going from this school, it’s going to move the whole school.
“They’ve ignored that and forgotten.”
The car park would allow parents to drop their students off inside the school, instead of on a road that sees 2200 car movements daily.
The LNP and Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki promised $500,000 for the project if it won the last election.
Mrs Greensill said time was running out before disaster struck.
“There’s still hope, but I hope that the change doesn’t come after the death or injury of a child,” she said.
“Glenvale State School goes above and beyond to protect their students, but beyond those boundaries it’s in the hands of the State Government.”
Photo: Bev Lacey