Gold Coast set for schools cash splash

The Gold Coast is set for a $171 million schools windfall including new classrooms, halls and 440-plus jobs as part of a record State education budget.

Speaking at a sod-turning for the new $42.7 million Coomera Special School today, Education Minister Grace Grace said an education infrastructure investment of almost $1.9 billion would deliver in spades for Gold Coast families and tradies.

“Education budgets are all about building for the future: jobs on infrastructure rebuilding our economy, and providing world-class education facilities for our young people to build a future right here on the Gold Coast,” she said.

“This Budget investment will continue to give our kids a great start in early education, engage them through school and at the same time, create jobs for local tradies.

Environment Minister and Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon said the investment responded to the enormous growth occurring on the northern end of the coast.

“Queensland is the place to be with an economy back on track and more Queenslanders in jobs in May than pre-COVID,” she said.

“This is fuelling growth on the Gold Coast, and this massive investment is meeting the demand for families seeking to educate their kids in our world-class state schools.

“That investment also includes $24 million for more classrooms at Pacific Pines State High School, more than $1.3 million for upgrades at Nerang State School and $700,000 for William Duncan State School in my local community.”

The Ministers took part in a ceremonial sod-turning today with contractors FKG, who are building the new special school, on schedule to open next year. The school will cater for students from Prep to Year 12 and expressions of interest are open now for enrolments.

The Gold Coast 2021-22 education spend includes:

• $28.3 million for stage 2 of the Foxwell State Secondary College at Coomera
• $16.6 million for stage 2 of Gainsborough State School at Pimpama, to start soon
• funds for $26 million worth of extra classrooms at Pacific Pines State High
• $7.9 million to complete $10.6 million worth of extra classrooms at Palm Beach State School
• $7.2 million to complete $9.8 million worth of new classrooms at Ormeau Woods State High
• $5.1 million to start work on a $10 million new hall at Palm Beach Currumbin State High, to be finished in 2023
• nearly a million dollars for a bus and taxi set-down at Southport Special School
• nearly $600,000 towards a $5 million upgrade of the hall at Nerang State High, to be finished in 2023  
• $971,000 towards a $10 million new hall at Miami State High School, to be finished in 2024  
• half-a-million dollars to upgrade amenities at Numinbah Valley State School.

Statewide the education budget includes:

• 10 new primary and high schools in the south-east corner to open in 2023 and 2024. These new schools add to the 18 the Government has delivered since 2015, and four others under construction or planned.
• $540.9 million towards more than 300 new classrooms at more than 35 schools as well as administration buildings and amenities, delivering around 1600 jobs.
• more than $23 million to deliver on the 2020 election commitment to build and upgrade training facilities at schools.

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Media contact: Jan Martin 0439 341 314