Only weeks ago the State Government announced plans to close schools which they deemed were unviable.

But this morning, they announced plans to open ten new schools.

Conor Tobin reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The Government says it’s about changing the way schools are built, from the ground up.

Ten new schools catering for almost eleven thousand students will open their doors from 2015.

Two secondary, one in Burpengary the other in Bellbird Park, and eight primary schools from Caboolture to Pimpama.

The Education Minister says it puts schools where they’re needed.

John-Paul Langbroek, Education Minister: “We need to make sure we plan properly both looking at our existing asset base and also planning for where the growth is and that’s what we have done for the first time in the history of Queensland.”

He says current schools would not have to close in order for new ones to open.

So there’s good news for some, not a lot of comfort for schools such as this one. Everton Park State High School is on the list to close, deemed unviable due to low attendance numbers.

This morning the State Government also accepted a billion dollar commitment on another infrastructure project.

Premier Campbell Newman and Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott shook hands on a billion dollar commitment to upgrading the Gateway Motorway.

But no funding for the Cross River Rail project.

Tony Abbott, Federal Opposition Leader: “The Coalition’s view is that the prime responsibility of the national government is the national highway network. The gateway is part of that, the Bruce Highway is a critical part of that.”

The State opposition disagrees.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, Opposition Leader: “It’s about time that Tony Abbott realised that Queensland needs this and Brisbane needs it as a solution to our train and network problems into the future.”

The Gateway deal will see four lanes expand to six, from Nudgee to the Deagon Deviation.

Work could begin as early as next year.

Conor Tobin, QUT News.