MCU15/0095 & REC15/0022 PM Submission Object - Maree Burgess

The Development proposal does not provide safeguards to those for whom we have a high level of
duty of care:
A significant safety concern results from the risks posed by certain types of individual often attracted                    by
service stations and who would not otherwise          have reason to be near our school grounds or within close
proximity    to the school and it's sports amenities.     Unsavoury, simply curious and unwanted                 members of
the public can wander through the school property             during or after school hours as a spill over from the
proposed service station. At very least this activity is disruptive        and inappropriate        for children, at worst
these unwelcome         visitors may cause harm through        criminal   and unlawful       activity.    Unwanted    people
walking around the school during break-times          will be extremely     difficult    for the school to manage and
monitor.     Students   enjoy some freedom      of movement        in their designated       recess areas. School staff
already has a high level of responsibility    overseeing students during these times.


The school swimming        pools have changing areas that are exposed and easily accessed by unwanted
members of the public, posing a threat to the safety of children who have, to date enjoyed a peaceful,
safe space to shower, change and relax before or after swimming                classes. The changing areas serving
the school swimming        pools and Health and Physical Education Centre remain open from 5 am to 7 pm
open so that children can make use of these facilities. They are within very close proximity                    to the pools
and sports complex.       These are extremely     high-risk    areas in terms of vulnerability             and exposure     as
children are showering, changing and naturally focused on their sports activities.


It is unthinkable   to put children at risk of being interfered    with, abused or abducted because of the close
proximity    of the service station and the threats posed to their privacy and entitlement                   to safe, secure
facilities. The changing facilities and showers are currently        unsupervised        as well as unlocked. The safety
issue would warrant these spaces to be policed at all times throughout                  the day - from 5 am to 5.30 pm
daily. The toilet facilities for students and staff of GSLC remain open during the day for use as required.
Unwanted      trespassers from the proposed service station could easily access these essential facilities,
which makes our children and school staff easy targets and unnecessarily vulnerable to aberrant abuses,
attacks and criminal activity.


Temptation     for children     to duck out of school and purchase food and drink, to play truant                     and to
innocently    and unwittingly     expose themselves      to the raft of dangers as mentioned               above, posed by
accessibility to a retail outlet and random members of the public frequenting                the service station.


Queensland     is far from immune to the Australia wide drug supply and trafficking                  problem.     Such close
proximity    of a service station, with open public access could make our children an easy target for drug
supply and trafficking.


The service station is not wanted near our students who would be made vulnerable                         by easy access. This
issue can be avoided by rejecting        the proposal for the service station in such close proximity                 to the
school.


Children and GSLCteachers will be exposed to the increased risk of fire, which can be triggered as easily
as by dropping      a mobile    phone. Shell Australia    Health and Safety documentation                 says: "Dropping   a
mobile phone or switching it on or off can cause sparks, which may ignite petrol vapours".




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