Looking forward to improvements after Julia Gillard’s appointment

By Maree O’Halloran

Federation welcomes the appointment of Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard as Minister for Education, Employment, Workplace Relations and Social Inclusion.

Ms Gillard's appointment highlights the critical importance of these portfolios in forging a strong Australian society and a strong economy. Federation looks forward to working with the incoming Federal Government to ensure the best possible implementation of the "Education Revolution" and the new industrial relations legislation. Federation asks that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Ms Gillard listen carefully to people working in schools about their technological needs including issues such as electrical upgrades, information technology support and actual space for hardware.

The new Prime Minister has rightly emphasised the important role of education and training in providing equity, opportunity and a strong economy.

Currently, Australia is the third lowest of 26 OECD nations when it comes to expenditure from public sources on all levels of education. That expenditure includes the public money distributed to private institutions. Teachers in the public education system hope to see investment in Australia's public pre-schools, schools and TAFE Colleges, which are open and available to all Australians, increase during the time of Mr Rudd's Prime Ministership.

Federation also welcomes the appointment of Maxine McKew to the position of Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care and look forward with hope to real improvements in these critical areas.

Maree O'Halloran is President.

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December 2007 contents