Developing the 2007 election campaign platform

By Angelo Gavrielatos

Recognising the opportunity presented by state and (likely) federal government elections in 2007, annual conference has determined that the development of a campaign platform that builds on past gains and addresses the pressing issues in contemporary public education must begin now.

To support the development of this campaign platform, Professor Tony Vinson, former Public Education Council chairperson Lyndsay Connors and other respected academics and educators will be invited to undertake further research and report on key campaign issues in the lead-in to the 2007 state and federal elections.

Consistent with the reality that both state and federal governments have and must fulfil their priority obligation to funding quality public education for all, a platform setting demands on both the state and federal levels of government will also assist in exposing and holding to account conservative governments and oppositions which are predisposed to engage in opportunistic games of blame shifting rather than take responsibility and show leadership on the issue of public education and the well being of the overwhelming majority of Australian students and parents. (Even with the massive shift of funding from public education to private education and the deliberate denigration by politicians and some commentators, the large majority of parents send their children to public schools.)

While articulating the philosophical underpinnings and values of a quality public education system for all, the campaign platform must describe for parents and students the essential features and resource levels for schools in the 21st century necessary to ensure that not only the needs of all students can be met but also the pursuit of excellence for all is a reality.

Angelo Gavrielatos is the Senior Vice President.

The platform