Mooroopna secondary school meeting ends without commitments from politicians

By Max Stainkamph

Nov 9, 2022

Pushing for more: College of Mooroopna Learning spokesperson Lea Campbell. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

The COOL (College of Mooroopna Learning) campaign held a meeting of local political figures recently to discuss adding a second public school across the river.

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State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed and state Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell attended along with the Liberal and Nationals candidates for Shepparton, and Ray Pearson representing the Labor Party.

Meeting organiser and COOL spokesperson Lea Campbell said community members started the discussion requesting a new school, throwing back to Jim Douglass’s petition in the 1970s to get Mooroopna a high school.

“It appears history is repeating itself. Mooroopna is in a fight for its high school again,” she said.

“The lack of continued educational opportunities for younger children in a town that has seen great investment in the early and primary school years was widely felt.”

Ms Campbell said while the mood in the room was overwhelmingly in support of a secondary school west of the Goulburn River, politicians weren’t willing to commit to the movement.

“What was less clear was how exactly the politics of the upcoming election will deliver on this demand for investment in educational opportunities in the high-school years in Mooroopna,” she said.

“COOL felt that all candidates were open to exploring the options, but it also heard that no-one was committing to the town’s specific demand as yet.”

The Victorian Coalition has pledged to consult with the community about options for a school west of the river, with Opposition leader Matthew Guy on Tuesday, November 8 saying his party supported “choice” for students.

Ms Sheed has said finding a use for the Mooroopna Secondary College site is one of her priorities should she be re-elected, but didn’t commit to the site being used for a school.

Ms Campbell said the group would continue to lobby the government for a second school.

“Identifying the experiences of young people in Mooroopna who are missing out on education in a diminished way or altogether since the high school’s closure is one of the COOL group's next priorities,” she said.

"This campaign is only gearing up.

“Only with a supportive MP and government will we get our high school reopened. Our votes are still up for grabs, but our determination is unwavering.”