I urge as many people as possible to make presentations prior to August 9 to the NSW Upper House enquiry into the closure of small schools.

Gemma Meier has written a brilliant two page magazine report from the viewpoint of a mother with children at Grong Grong school when it was closed without full community discussion. Gemma sent an email ‘requesting public submissions that are required to be lodged by 9th August 2015.’ If you have strong concerns regarding the DEC (Department of Education and Communities) and the conduct of its employees we would urge the community to take the time to look at this site.

 http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/B5EC7168551BC45ECA257E6F001E7661?open&refnavid=x

Other avenues to air your concerns are through formal complaints, which take some considerable time, we believe possibly a strategy, or by emailing Adrian Piccoli at office@piccoli.minister.nsw.gov.au, directly expressing your concerns in the form a complaint. This will then be treated as a formal complaint. The other formal avenues are listed below.

Gemma’s article included:

‘The Department told us the average taxpayer would not be happy to hear a school was being kept open for just a handful of children.’  Adrian Piccoli said that he could not be quoted as saying there is a plan to close schools with less than 300 students. I believe him – he would never be quoted as saying that. It is far easier to have his department using the obvious thoughts of average taxpayers in Sydney than to explain to the parents in Grong Grong why their school is going to be closed and the site sold.

‘At the end of that year (2014) we called for expressions of interst in enrolment and received 26 positive responses, including from Narrandera, where parents had heard good reports about our school.’

‘With our school, we had a gem, and on a number of occasions we invited the Department of Education to look at our formula.’ I can think of no better example of what makes country people great.

‘They advised us that no final decision had been made, and further discussion with the community would be undertaken.

‘Off the deep end’, The Area News, July 27 2015.

Mayor Dal Broi stated the figures appear to be worse than they are because of the nature of agricultural employment across the region.

“The Murray electorate is a largely agricultural region which of course requires a high number of itinerant and unskilled labourers,” Councillor Dal Broi said.

“This has resulted in disproportionate figures.”

“Domestic violence continues to be an important issue and occurs across all socio-economic and cultural groups.

“While we have our own personal beliefs and perceptions, the focus must be on intervention and prevention to stop abusive relationships,” Cr Dal Broi said.

“Whilst the Griffith workforce consists of a large number of unskilled labourers and we have higher than state average figures on domestic violence, perpetrators of domestic violence come from all walks of life.”