Government agrees to produce papers on Newcastle Education Precinct

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp said MP Peter Primrose had played a "crucial" role in moving a motion under Standing Order 52 that the Department of Education produce documents created since June 30, 2017, relating to the precinct, including those that provide advice, briefing papers, reports and assessments.

The government did not oppose the motion. The documents are due to be tabled on December 2.

"This is very significant because they've blocked us at every turn," Mr Crakanthorp said.

"We asked so many questions on this issue, we've corresponded with the minister, we've tried everything we can through the Parliamentary processes and this is the last opportunity for us to get some transparency on this issue."

The Newcastle Herald reported in June the government had not prepared a business case more than two years after announcing the precinct, which involves upgrading Newcastle High and building a new primary school.

The Herald revealed the government had considered moving Newcastle High to a recently rehabilitated corner of National Park.

The Herald applied under the Government Information (Public Access) Act for access to documents about the precinct, but the application was denied.

The Herald appealed to the Information and Privacy Commission, which found the government's decision to not disclose the documents was "not justified" and recommended it "make a new decision by way of internal review".

The department upheld its original decision.

Mr Crakanthorp used Budget Estimates to receive updates, as well as called for papers in the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, but said details about funding and timelines had not been forthcoming.

He said it was impossible to say if any of the documents would be considered to be privileged and available only to members of the Legislative Council and how many would be made public.

"Families need to plan," he said.

"The inner city schools are all very full and with the projected number of new apartments in the city... there are going to be thousands and thousands more families living in the CBD."

Mr Primrose told the Legislative Council withholding the information "is an unreasonable decision made contrary to the public interest".

"The government wants to hide essential community information and there was no other avenue left to gain access to these documents except through the Parliament," he told the Herald.

"We are not talking about the movement of troops or the location of missile silos.

"We are talking about telling local parents about plans for local schools.

"So I am calling on the government to stop hiding this information, and when the papers come to Parliament that there are no further secret documents."