Standing up for our children: our plan for schools and childcare

Dear friends,I come from a family of teachers and I know the importance of education. That's why I'm committed to standing up for better schools, more affordable and accessible childcare and a long term plan to ensure that our children have the best possible start in life.

The Inner West has experienced an unprecedented baby boom in recent years and despite an urgent need for long-term planning, the government is still failing to act.

Please sign our petition calling on the Minister to commit to planning for our children’s future:

There has been a complete failure to plan for growth by both the former Labor government and the current Liberal Coalition and it is not fair that children and families are suffering as a result. Over 1,000 new students will be enrolling in our schools between now and 2016/17.

I have spoken with the Minister and met with the Department of Education to highlight the urgency of this issue. I have brought together our local P&Cs to work on this issue and ensure our public schools have the best teaching environment, as well as more and affordable before and after school care.

Despite assurances from the Department that planning for growth was well underway, it wasn’t until I called a meeting of P&Cs that the Department wrote a letter to principals advising that the planning process was finally underway.

Brothers and sisters will suffer as a result of poor government planning, with siblings forced into different schools because of a failure to plan for growth. Growing up, I would have been horified if my brother and I had been separated into different schools.

I've worked hard to raise this issue in the media - you may be interested in reading the recent Sun Herald coverage here:

Enrol in less popular schools: Minister

Planning failure leaves inner city short on schools

School out of bounds for siblings

I am also standing alongside my Federal colleagues to plan for cheaper and more abundant childcare. Families need to be able to access high-quality, affordable, flexible care and that means we need to urgently increase funding for childcare.

We know we know we can get action so it is critical that we maintain the pressure on the government to act: can you forward this email to three friends and ask them to join our campaign?
Best wishes,

Jamie Parker

P.S. The more support we can build the better chance we have of putting pressure on the government to act - please sign our petition now.

Authorised by Jamie Parker MP, Greens Member for Balmain,112A Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe.m

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FERRIES AT ANNANDALE AND WEST BALMAIN

Imagine hopping on a ferry at Annandale or West Balmain and being in the heart of the city within minutes.

In 2020, we won the campaign for a Glebe ferry. Now, we have the opportunity to connect more of our area to the ferry network. New ferries at Annandale and West Balmain will provide a faster, smarter route into the city without adding to the traffic on our roads.

Both Labor and the Liberals want to build more polluting and destructive tollways across Sydney. But we have costed a comprehensive plan for a world-class public transport system that makes getting around our city fast and easy.

Dear Transport Minister,

New inner west ferry services would provide efficient, fast and environmentally sound travel to and from the area for workers, tourists, students, pensioners and the general public.

I therefore ask that the Government build on the success of the Blackwattle Bay ferry and establish a ferry service at Rozelle Bay for the Annandale area and reinstate the ferry at West Balmain.

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