Since he was elected leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, as well as in the few months since he was elected Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd has rejected and ignored public education again and again.

The latest evidence of this rejection is the Rudd's choice of a private school in Canberra for his son, as opposed to  public secondary school in the ACT. The youngest son has been recently enrolled in an Anglican co-educational school called Radford College, Canberra. ( The Age, February 19, 2008)

Kevin Rudd has a very black record since his elevation to his leadership positions in the Federal Labor Party. He has refused to even use the concept of '' public education." He has failed to promote the best interest of education but strongly supports, financially, the private system. He also has promoted schemes which will allow the private sector to infiltrate and largely destroy the public education system, its structure and support as a fighting force.

 Kevin Rudd has

• ignored public education,

• kow-towed the the private church school interest

• has been connected with secret meetings with private school interests against the public school interest - via Stephen Smith

•  failed to consult with public education interest groups

• abandoned the 35 year old Needs policy without consultation with either his caucus or the public school interest groups.

• behaved more like the Pope than an Australian democratic leader.

• proved himself incapable of referring to the expression "public education" in policy statements

• divided opportunities for trade education along sectarian lines

• divided opportunities for trade education according to the ability of parents to pay for entrance into privatge schools.

• supported even further division of our community on the basis of class and creed.

• promoted the most dangerous concept for genuine public education, worse than State Aid itself, namely the concept of 'shared facilities'. Such a concept debases the very concept of public education and amounts to a policy of poisoning, taking over, and privatisation of public schools by the private sector.

 In relation to the ideas expressed above, DOGS have produced ten relevant Press Releases .

See Press Release 185 ( www.adogs.info/pr185.htm ) Press Release 201 ( www.adogs.info/pr201.htm);

Press Release 202 (www.adogs.info/pr202.htm ); Press Release 203 ( www.adogs.info/pr203.htm);

Press Release 204 (www.adogs.info/pr204.htm ); Press Release 208 ( www.adogs.info/pr208.htm);

Press Release 209 (www.adogs.info/pr209.htm);  Press Release 223 ( www.adogs.info/pr223.htm);

Press Release 224 ( www.adogs.info/pr224.htm); Press  Release 226 ( www.adogs.info/pr226.htm).

Press Release 229 ( www.adogs.info/pr229.htm)

The No-Noes in the Victory Speech: The Concept of Public

Kevin Rudd's victory speech confirmed the above. He not only attacked the concept of 'public' but also those connected with its promotion and support. DOGS quote from his speech:

 Australia's long term challenges demand a new consensus across the country.....I want to put aside the old battles of the past - the old battles between business and unions; the old battles between growth and the environment; the old and tired battles between federal and state; the old battles between public and private.

In one single sentence Rudd has decreed that fundamental differences between capital and labour; industry  and environmentalists; not  to mention fundamental differences between the public and private good  in public and private health, education, transport and other systems - these differences no longer exist. So, for Mr Rudd  International corporates and the unions no longer differ; Gunns and the Greens should no longer be in the courts; and private is at one with public education. If anyone questions the Rudd consensus, they needn't apply to get past his minders.

Consider the full implications of such a statement. Not even Howard was this dictatorial, and he was bad enough.

Persons Included and Persons Excluded in the Victory Speech

DOGS quote again:

My door will always be open to men and women of goodwill who want to participate in making our country even greater in the future...I am determined to use the office of Prime Minister to forge that consensus... It is necessary for us to embrace the future as a nation united forged with a common vision... It is time for a new page to be written in our nation's history.

Please Note that strong Public School Supporters will be Persona Non Grata under Rudd's Friendly Consensus Fascism. Only those who admit that there is no difference between public and private are acceptable. Rudd wouldn't listen to those articulating the values and needs of public education before the election. He has announced that after the ALP ''win'', his door remains closed.

Victory Speech Continues the Attack on Public Education

In another extract from Rudd's victory speech, he reveals his ongoing refusal to articulate the concept of 'public education'.

We have put before the people a plan, it's our agenda for work and you know something - everything I have said all through this election campaign and in the year leading up to it our agenda for work:

To start building a world-class education system. To embrace the long-term funding needs of our public hospital system.

Please note that Rudd was willing to use the concept of 'public hospital system' but could not bring himself to talk about the funding needs of the 'public education system. ( See Press Release 232 at www.adogs.info/pr232.htm )

Conclusion:

Rudd's choice of a private Anglican private school for his youngest son merely confirms his preference for the private to the detriment of the public system.

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