AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS - D.O.G.S.

PRESS RELEASE 33#.

REQUEST FOR ANY STATEMENT/STATEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE CHAMPIONING OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM IN VICTORIA

Like all strong supporters of public education, we note with interest that you patronise private schools through you own children and that you are strongly identified with the Roman Catholic system in their literature. For example, along with Archbishop George pell you were involved in the opening of a new building at the Sacred Heart Girls College Oakleigh. Moreover, we note that you earlier attended the Catholic Education Week annual Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral. Yet your Department was not in the forefront of Public Education Day in that same week.

Public School supporters in this State have had to look to New South Wales for leadership in this area. They have been heartened by statements in recent times made by Ken Boston, the Director General of Education and Training in New South Wales on the value and crucial importance public education in Australia. In particular, he has been prepared to question Federal Government funding policies which favour the private sector and threaten the future well being of the public system.

Have you ever, like Director General Boston, had the intestinal fortitude or even an understanding of what public education is about to make statements like the following?

1. The legislation before the Senate places at risk an immense national asset. It is not too late to step back. The Commonwealth Government should recognise that Australia's public schools are the priceless seed bed of our identity. ( Sydney Morning Herald October 10, 2000, p. 14.)

2. How is it then that legislation which regards with equanimity the potential for dismantling Australia's public school systems, which overturns principles which have governed the Commonwealth's distribution of resources to government and non-government schools for almost thirty years, and which threatens the essential underpinning of the national goals of schooling, is not the product of such a debate?

Fundamental educational issues of immense importance to the character of this nation have been buried beneath a blanket of politics, and reduced to essentially marginal questions such as the nature of the funding formula and the level of funding for particular schools...

Is a multitude of schools based on the replication of different cultures, religions, belief systems and pedagogical preferences a prospect which sits easily with a multicultural Australia whose public sphere is founded on a consensus of civility, democratic values, and modus vivendi? (Awards Ceremony Address, University of Canberra, 18 December 2000.)

We have not seen any reports of similar statements from yourself in the Victorian press. We are just wondering therefore whether you have indeed made such statements, and just what leadership you consider yourself as offering to the supporters and children and that system of which you are the Minister.

We look forward to receiving evidence from you of statements similar to those above.

If no such statements exist, then we would appreciate an explanation from you as to why you have refrained from openly and publicly supporting our public school system.

As you are aware, there is a federal election later in the year and public school supporters are shopping around with their votes. You would be unwise to believe that public school supporters, parents and citizens are content with Labor party performance at the state or federal level. There are other parties offering a better deal. In particular, the Greens and the Progressive Labor Party are in the field.

A SIMILAR LETTER WAS ALSO SENT TO MICHAEL, WHITE, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS.

To date, the only response is a form letter informing the DOGS that "the matter raised in your correspondence is receiving attention"