AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF
GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS
PRESS RELEASE 931
THE STATE AID AUCTION:
THIS ELECTION IT WILL BE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL VOTE THAT MATTERS!
9 April 2022
The polls suggest that Mr Morrison and his ramshackle, faction ridden government are in trouble. Not even the private school lobby groups are of much use to him. If anything, their right wing graduates are biting his posterior rather viciously in the stacked NSW Liberal Party branches.
The Opposition appear to think that throwing money at aged care – which certainly needs it - may bring in votes as they keep a low profile. But it is a very disillusioned and angry public school vote that is waiting in the wings. What have the major parties got to offer?
The Morrison Government’s Budget.
Over half a billion dollars has been cut from public schools over the next three years. The Morrison Government’s 2022-2023 Federal Budget has cut funding for public schools by $559 million over the next three years, while increasing funding for private schools by $2.6 billion over the forward estimates.
The cuts to public schools’ funding will total $139 million in 2022-23, $193.9 million in 2023-24 and $226.9 million in 2024-25.
Additionally, there is no funding allocated for capital works in public schools in this year’s Federal Budget either.
Meanwhile, the government has announced increases to private schools’ funding totalling $616.8 million in 2022-23, $690 million in 2023-24, $715.6 million in 2024-25 and $537.1 million in 2025-26.
“This is a devastating reduction in funding for public schools at a time when schools are dealing with the deep impact of the COVID pandemic and escalating inequality for students across the nation,” says Correna Haythorpe, Australian Education Union Federal President.
"This savage cut to public schools was hidden in the detail. PM Morrison hoped principals, teachers, support staff and parents wouldn't notice.
They will.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg boasts about delivering “record funding” for schools but does not make the distinction that they are delivering record funding for private schools at the expense of public schools every year.
“It is public schools that are witnessing booming enrolment growth and have the greatest need for capital spending on new buildings and state of the art facilities. It is public schools that need additional funding for more teachers, support staff, smaller class sizes and learning programs for students.
“We urgently need the next Federal Government to address the deep inequality in Australia education systems.”
The Labor Party’s Offer
Every Australian school will be put on a path to their “full and fair” level of funding under a Federal Labor government, Anthony Albanese has announced in his reply to the release of the 2022 Federal Budget.
Declaring that “education is the biggest and most powerful weapon we have against disadvantage”, Albanese pledged a $440m Schools Upgrade Fund that, from 2023, will give public schools the same level of funding for new buildings and world-class facilities that independent schools receive.
Federal Labor will also spend $14m to employ 60 full-time First Nations language teachers in Australia’s schools if elected in May.
Shadow minister for education Tanya Plibersek says the learning of First Nations languages by Indigenous students has the benefit of improving Indigenous children’s self-esteem and boosting their attendance at school.
“For non-Indigenous students, learning First Nations languages gives them a deeper understanding and appreciation of the cultures and histories of Australia’s first people,” Plibersek said in a statement.
The program, which will seek direct input from First Nations communities, has strong support from the ‘Know Your County’ campaign, led by a panel of First Nations people and coordinated by World Vision Australia.
Another big focus of Labor’s schools plan is tackling the youth mental health crisis, which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Albanese said Labor’s ‘Student Wellbeing Boost’ program will enable schools to access more school counsellors and psychologists, as well as receive extra funding for camps, excursions, sporting and social activities that improve kids’ wellbeing.
“The average school will be $20,000 better off this year,” Albanese said.
DOGS COMMENT
Neither party have tackled the burning equities issues in Australian education and confronted the greedy private sector. However, The Labor Party promises are marginally better than the dismal record of the Morrison Government.
In NSW Jane Caro is standing for the Senate as a public school supporter in the Reason Party. It remains for voters to discover what the other, minor parties and independents in Victoria and elsewhere re offering. Watch this space.
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