Maintenance backlog exposed

By Gary Zadkovich

The Auditor General's Report has highlighted the inadequacies of the NSW Government's spending on public schools.

The report was released in NSW Parliament on November 17.

Federation President Maree O'Halloran said: "The report showed a reduction in funding for maintenance in the 2003-04 State Budget and an admission by the Department of Education and Training that the current maintenance backlog, analysed in June 2004, is $115 million."

Reports of serious maintenance problems in schools prompted the Federation recently to instigate an audit of the existing maintenance backlog.

Ms O'Halloran said: "Professor Vinson's Inquiry into public education recommended developing an asset register, to be completed and published annually.

"The Auditor General's report confirms the need for such an approach," she said.

"The Minister for Education and Training, Dr Andrew Refshauge, said on Wednesday that 'maintenance projects waiting to be completed in schools have decreased -- with a $9 million reduction in the maintenance backlog'.

"He avoided comment on the current backlog of $115 million, and how this has been a long standing problem.

"Professor Vinson found that NSW government expenditure on education as a proportion of the state budget decreased from 28.4 per cent in 1989-90 to 22 per cent in 2001-02," Ms O'Halloran said.

"Despite political statements that conceal or ignore this decline, the fact is that hundreds of millions of extra dollars would be spent on public education if the priorities of the late 1980s were restored.

"Neglect of maintenance in public education is further evidence of government under-investment in public infrastructure in NSW," Ms O'Halloran added.

Gary Zadkovich is the Administration Officer (Media and Communications).

Audit deadline extended

For further information

December 2004 contents