Press Releases

Bill Shorten, Penalty Rates and Private Education

Press Release 621

Public School supporters have found Bill Shorten falls short as a Labor leader when it comes to promoting public education. He claims that penalty rates are the difference for some people being able to afford to send their children to a private school or not.

"For people on 40 and 50 and 60,000 dollars a year, penalty rates are the difference as to whether they can afford to send their kids to a private school, whether or not they can afford to pay the mortgage," he said on Monday.

Archbishop Hart Mistakes Freedom of Religion for Freedom to Disciminate at Public Expense

Press Release 620

Archibishop Hart of Melbourne demands religious freedom for Catholics and Catholic school teachings on sexuality. He also argues against those questioning Catholic discrimination in employment in Catholic institutions. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/extend-tolerance-to-catholic-tea...

Strangely, Hart does not fall back on the religious freedom clause – Section 116 – of the Australian Constitution. But then, the Catholic Church is not about ‘freedom of conscience’ or freedom ‘from’ religion. He starts his article, ‘Extend tolerance to Catholic teachings too’, in The Australian of 1 October 2015 with that very odd, selfish freedom, namely ‘freedom of choice’.

Simon Birmingham Federal Minister for Education : Who is this?

Press Release 618

The most, perhaps the only positive thing DOGS can say about Simon Birmingham is that he attended public schools. So, hopefully, he has more idea than most of his Liberal Party colleagues about public education.

That said, there is to date, no evidence of any change of federation education in relation to funding. And the Assistant Minister, Mr Scott Ryan’s main interest appears to be Catholic Education. But then, in 2007-8 Ryan was doing research in the Institute of Public Affairs!

Simon Birmingham has indicated concern over the rorts in the private vocational sector, but there is no evidence of his commitment to anything other than the tired Liberal market ideology. Birmingham’s plans include pushing for the Commonwealth to take over existing State responsibilities for funding vocational education.

Malcolm Turnbull is a Member of – and Servant of the Wealthy Corporate and Religious Sector.

Press Release 617

Public schools can expect little consideration from Turnbull. His experience and support of schools for the common good rather than the private privilege is exceedingly limited.
On his journey to the Lodge, Turnbull has concentrated on having a foot in the camps of the wealthy and powerful, until – with great wealth – he has become a member of both. A scholarship boy from Sydney Grammar, and Catholic convert, Turnbull has limited experience and no feeling for the values of public education.

Washington Supreme Court: Charter Schools not Common schools and cannot Receive Public Funding

Press Release 616

In a 6-3 decision, the Washington Supreme Court found "significant portions" of voter-approved Initiative 1240, the Charter School Act, unconstitutional.The high court said that charter schools do not qualify as "common" schools and cannot receive public funding.

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Charter schools can never be Public or Advance the Common Good

Press Release 614

Profiteers are not satisfied with making profits out of the child-care, religious, TAFE and university sector. They are knocking at the door of Australia’s public primary and secondary systems.Not only is David Leyonhjelm, Liberal Democrats senator for NSW, wanting to introduce for-profit schools in Australia.

The right wing think tank, the Centre for Independent Studies in a Report entitled: ‘Free to Choose Charter Schools: How Charter and For-Profit Schools can boost Public Education’, is arguing that US - style privately-owned charter schools should be rolled out in Australia. Such schools are funded by the government and run by private entities .They have full autonomy over the school finances, staffing and curriculum. http://www.cis.org.au/pdf/rr6.pdf. To label them ‘public’ schools is mischievous and misleading.

ACCESS Ministries, Christians and the Separation of Religion and the State

Press Release 613

ACCESS Ministries are concerned that the Andrews Government has sidelined Special Religious Instruction to an opt-in program held outside the hours of secular instruction in Victorian Public Schools.

The Government is here fulfilling its obligation to keep separate matters of secular instruction which are for the common good and matters of belief which are matters for private conscience. It is a still a matter of concern that hundreds of millions of the State’s scarce resources are diverted into private, religious schools themselves.