Kim Beazley, Leader of the Labour Party Federal Opposition thought that he had escaped from the State Aid fire - or is it mire- and the ire of private church school operators when he delivered his speech to the National Press Club on 3 May 2006. After this address he went to the Regina Coeli Primary School in Sydney with his Shadow Minister for Education, Jenny Macklin. As a result he issued a News Release headed: My Message to non-government school parents"

DOGS note that public school parents have fallen off Mr Beazley's radar . To date, there is no special message for them, even though it has been the State school vote that has got the Labour Party elected in the majority of the States and stayed with the Labour Party in all his failed attempts to reach Yarralumla.

He thought he had escaped the State Aid battle by refusing to follow Latham's Labour Party education policy, "depriving" the 67 richest private schools of more than $500 million dollars.

However, Jenny Macklin, deputy leader of the opposition and education spokesperson has thrown him right back into the State Aid debate.

In the Australian May 11, 2006, page 8, Jenny Macklin wittingly or unwittingly opened up the real Pandora's box letting out the State Aid monster, the Roman Catholic Church school faction. The 67 richest schools - which contain few if any Roman Catholic schools,- are mere bagatelle in comparison to the largest employer in Australia; the wealthiest religious sect in Australia; and the most politically active religious cadre in Australia.

Jenny Macklin has raised the issue that bought Mark Latham to grief.

"Half of all non-government schools are being funded outside the socio-economic status system, but the education minister appears to be more interested in silencing critics than in addressing the problem."

She has been reported as saying this in response to an earlier article in the Australian on 5 May 2006. This article referred to statements by two principals of wealthy old Anglican establishment schools, Paul Sheehan, the principal of Melbourne Grammar, and Tim Hawkes, headmaster of the Kings School in Parramatta, Sydney. We quote from this article:

" Melbourne Grammar principal said the Howard Government's funding system for private schools was unfair and said it had entered into too many special deals with different schools.

Tim Hawkes, headmaster of the Kings School, in Sydney's West, said he also believed the current funding system could be improved.

'The thing that concerns me about the SES model...is when you have close to half independent or non-government schools with some form of exemption it would seem to me to weaken the Coalition's commitment to its own policy.' "

Kim Beazley swiftly gagged Mundine when he was offering "rebates" to private school parents, so what is he going to do about Jenny Macklin raising sectarian favours and cozy deals in the corridors of power? If anybody wants to know what happens to even a mild criticism of this wheeling and dealing witness the fall of Mark Latham.

If you wish to have your memory on this matter stimulated or if you wish to find out more about what Mark Latham said, DOGS refer you to Press Release 81 (www.adogs.info/pr81.htm) , and Press Release 143.(www.adogs.info/pr143.htm)

If you wish to read a little bit about the manipulation of the State Aid dollar by the major Church School interest group, see Press Release 145.(www.adogs.info/pr145.htm).

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