For all of you who have been following the ongoing saga of the LORDS (Lutheran Ormeau River District School) school, I am delighted to pass on the news that the most serious barrier to the school’s opening has been removed.

Despite Premier Bligh’s approval of the school when she was Education Minister, the South East Queensland Regional Plan had rezoned the proposed site for the school as ruralland, putting the school’s construction on hold.

Under community pressure,the Government has revised the South-East Queensland Regional Plan, resolving this problem.

I had previously called on locals to show their frustration at the State Government by attending a public rally, signing a petition, writing to their local state member and writing letters to the editor.

I tried to do my part by raising the matter on the floor of Parliament, lobbying strongly the State Government and getting community behind the issue.

Credit for this turn around however, must go to the hard working people behind LORDS, those members of the community who turned out in strong numbers at the community rally, and those concerned citizens who were willing to put their names on a petition callingfor a return to common sense.

This committed hard work has meant common sense has had a chance to prevail and the bizarre situation where a school in a growing area was being held up by State Government red tape is finally resolved.

This latest revision ofthe plan removed this obstacle and leaves approval for the school in the handsof the Gold Coast City Council.

I understand that Council are well aware of the importance of the school to the local area and I call on them to expedite the final pieces of the puzzle so that the school can finally open.

This is a great result for locals who care about choice in education and for those students who had already purchased their uniforms to be disappointed by Government inaction.