Labor’s school ‘hit list’ targets local schools
21st August, 2012
At least 17 schools in Wide Bay electorate alone are included in a leaked hit list of over 3,200 schools across Australia that will lose funding as a result of the Gillard Labor Government’s plans to change school funding, Federal Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss said today.“Some of Wide Bay’s smallest schools are on the hit list, and these schools can not afford to lose funding. If Labor’s proposed changes go ahead, parents at these schools will pay higher fees and class sizes will rise, as Government, Catholic and independent schools try to cope with the funding cuts,” Mr Truss said
The Coalition considers the continuation of current funding levels plus indexation to be the basic starting point of any new funding model resulting from the Gonski Review process.
“It is vital that the Government recognises that any new funding model ensures that no school goes backward after 2013. It must guarantee funding in real terms so that schools are not penalised or disadvantaged,” Mr Truss said.
“Local teachers’ union officials have been campaigning for the adoption of the Gonski report. I presume they did not know that Labor’s plan would rip $4.3 million away from local state schools.
“One third of Australia’s schools are on Labor’s hit list. The Government has tried to question the authenticity of the list, so if it has nothing to hide the Government must release all of its own modelling on the Gonski Review.
“Labor has trumpeted the Gonski Review and the $5 billion in extra school funding it identified as necessary. But based on the Government’s own budget, the Gillard Government does not have an additional $5 billion a year to spend on schools unless it plans to introduce new taxes and raise existing taxes. And what of the States, which traditionally meets 70 per cent of the cost of running state schools?
“Even if Labor could find an extra $5 billion a year, according to Labor’ list, 3,200 schools would face reduced funding, putting more pressure on parents and more pressure on schools.”
Mr Truss said the Gillard Labor Government has a credibility problem and people no longer take the Government on its word.
“The Federal Labor Government failed to properly administer the rorted school halls program, so how can they be trusted to radically redesign education funding for Australia’s 9,500 schools?”
“Julia Gillard also says she has no plans to cut funding for schools — but her own Education Minister, Peter Garrett has contradicted her, saying that he can not guarantee that no school would be worse off.”
