Margaret River Senior High School board president Barbara Maidment hits back at Jane Kelsbie fund claims

The president of Margaret River Senior High School’s board has accused Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie of incorrect claims about Labor’s support for the embattled campus.

Board president Barbara Maidment said comments reported by the Times last week that Roger Cook’s State Government had invested $36 million in MRSHS during the past four years were inaccurate.

She said while $6m had come from the Cook Labor Government for the new school oval, the other $30m cited was initiated by a Coalition government.

“(That was) particularly pushed by former Warren-Blackwood MLA Terry Redman from Royalties for Regions funding,” Dr Maidment said.

The school has found itself in the centre of election campaigning ahead of the State poll in March next year.

The campus was bursting at the seams and relying on transportable classrooms after the final stage of an upgrade project which started almost a decade ago was yet to be funded by Labor.

Nationals candidate Bevan Eatts opened the bidding by renewing his party’s pledge to complete the build, while Liberal contender Wade de Campo said the school needed funding to increase capacity to meet the expected 1800 students forecast by 2030.

Responding to questions from the Times, Ms Kelsbie brushed off the critique and said Dr Maidment’s ties to the Liberal Party had politicised the issue.

“To be clear, we have delivered $36m in upgrades to MRSHS, which were completed under a State Labor Government,” she said.

“It is disappointing to see a known supporter of the Liberal Party using her position on the school board to politicise this issue.”

In response, Dr Maidment said her personal politics were irrelevant to the school issue and declined to confirm her status with the Liberal Party.

“We are asking now that the building program, as outlined more than seven years ago, be finished,” she told the Times.

Parents and Citizens president Joe Forte said “credit” for the funding was blurred between the succession of governments.

“Ultimately, regardless of who holds power, the commitment hasn’t been met and our school remains under-resourced and massively over-capacity,” he said.