Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller is annoyed at the lack of urgency and delays in acquiring land and building a new school in Omokoroa.
A petition for a new school in Omokoroa was tabled in Parliament back in December 2018 by Todd.
The original petition was supported by more than 2000 locals who showed their support for the new secondary school to be built west of the Wairoa River.
Back in February 2019, Todd said the Education select committee would be working it into their 2019 schedule but no date had been set.
Now, Todd says the lack of infrastructure for the growing community has reached critical levels.
He also acknowledges the hard work and persistence from Jo Linthwaite, who led the petition.
In a recent report to the Education and Workforce Committee, the Ministry of Education acknowledged the high population growth in the region but says it could take five to six years to complete a new school after land has been acquired.
Todd says this is just not good enough.
'The land hasn't even been secured. It's obvious the report said that this school needs to be built urgently.
'The government needs to support our growing community – not turn their back on us and ignore us.”
Todd says the government has no plan to improve transport links and fix the ongoing problems with State Highway 2.
'Speed management and a few safety barriers just don't cut it.
'Children need to be able to get to school safely and on time.
'We can't wait, the Ministry needs to have another look at this and fast-track building the school.
'We need that school now,” says Todd.
5 comments
Plenty
Posted on 06-08-2019 08:41 | By Merlin
Plenty of time to put things in motion when you were in government Todd.This did not happen overnight.Snapping your fingers now is pathetic.
houses and cars
Posted on 06-08-2019 10:01 | By 2up
Omokoroa is filling up with new houses and families. Yet there is NO plan for infrastructure to accommodate the growing community needs. What is happening to all the residents along SH2 Bethlehem to Katikati is an absolute disgrace. National saw this coming Labour has it in its watch.... both as bad as each other.
Negative
Posted on 06-08-2019 12:03 | By Told you
Always the same from Muller nothing but demanding things get done, what about our 4 lanes on 15th Ave, 10 Bridges up north, all talk from National and no action.
School
Posted on 06-08-2019 16:21 | By Simba
Some one needs to get up t date as the land I currently live on is in the process f being bought of me for the purpose of building a school
Long Over Due!
Posted on 07-08-2019 14:53 | By BlueberryBee
Having an Intermediate and collage in the Omokaroa area is long overdue. People from this area are looking at sending there kids to Tauranga and Katikati secondary schools. Tauranga itself has not had any new public collage build for decades and all cover a big catchment area . Katikati collage takes kids in from Waihi - Omokaroa. Another huge catchment. How long are all Public collages in Tga and Kati going to sustain theses growing numbers. Some one needs to pull finger and build a dam Intermediate/collage in Omokaroa ASAP. It doesn't just affect Omokaroa. But the surrounding areas as well. Collages bursting at the seams. Build another collage and take the pressure of Tga and Kati. NO BRAINER!.
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