The Minns Labor Government is set to complete the comprehensive rebuild of Lismore South Public School and Lismore South Ngulliboo Jarjums Public Preschool by the end of the year, delivering a world class, flood-resilient school for the Northern Rivers community.
Crews have now installed all the school's elevated building modules, including the dedicated preschool classrooms and school hall, and are finalising construction and landscaping as the school is rebuilt after it was extensively damaged during the 2022 Northern Rivers floods.
The new flood-resilient public school will include 13 modern classrooms, a library, a multipurpose hall, and outdoor learning areas, and dedicated indoor and outdoor classrooms for the Lismore South Ngulliboo Jarjums Public Preschool.
The elevated flood-resilient building modules have been designed to withstand extreme weather, safeguarding the school's future and minimising potential disruption from any future floods.
To fast-track the rebuild, the Minister for Recovery exercised enhanced planning powers under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act.
This milestone advances the Minns Labor Government's commitment to rebuild flood-affected schools in the Northern Rivers, ensuring schools are built back better for local communities.
18 flood-damaged schools have been rebuilt or repaired in the Northern Rivers since 2022, including Tumbulgum Public School and Condong Public School with work underway at the Rivers Secondary College Richmond River High Campus.
Funding to rebuild nine extensively damaged schools, including Lismore South Public School, has been provided through the Infrastructure Betterment Fund, which is jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments through disaster recovery funding arrangements.
The Minns Labor Government will invest $2.3 billion over the next four years into regional NSW school infrastructure, delivering new and upgraded schools to ensure every family has access to a world-class public education.
In addition to ensuring students have modern classrooms and schools, the Minns Labor Government has transitioned more than 25,000 teachers and school support staff from uncertain temporary contracts to permanent employment.
This follows the Minns Labor Government's abolition of the Liberals and Nationals wages cap, delivering NSW teachers the biggest pay rise in a generation.
This reform is attracting teachers into public schools and helping retain those already there, with teacher vacancies at a 12-year low and the number of merged and cancelled classes in NSW halving since the election of the Minns Labor Government.
Acting Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"This is an exciting milestone for the community, with students, staff, and families now seeing their new school begin to fully take shape.
"The Northern Rivers has been through so much and our government is ensuring students can return to a brand new, permanent school, close to home.
"The Minns Labor Government is building back better in the Northern Rivers, and the new, flood-resilient Lismore South Public School will serve local students and families for decades to come."
Minister for Recovery and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:
"It's fantastic to see the rebuild of Lismore South Public School and Lismore South Ngulliboo Jarjums Public Preschool progressing so well.
"I'm thrilled to see this progress firsthand and to recognise the work going on behind the scenes to deliver these new facilities for the school community later this year.
"The impressive, flood-resilient design of the school will provide students and staff with modern, fit-for-purpose facilities built to withstand future challenges."
Lismore South Public School principal Larissa Polak said:
"You can really see our new school coming together now that the structures are all in place. Before long, students and staff will be learning and working in these new spaces.
"This is a big investment in the future of this community, and I'm looking forward to opening our doors and starting a new chapter for our school.
"Our community has shown strength and resilience through some challenging times, and the support of everyone involved in delivering our new school means the world to us."
