The Full Nelson

The past few weeks have exposed Federal Education Minister Brendan Nelson as full blown in his leadership ambitions, confused about his portfolio responsibilities and deluded in his move to embrace creationism, writes MAREE O'HALLORAN.

Over the past few weeks Brendan Nelson has joined Liberal colleagues in making public statements that aim to foster intolerance of difference. Minister Nelson believes that those who don't share "our values" should "clear off". Liberal MP Bronwyn Bishop has called for a ban on the hijab in public schools on the spurious grounds that it is worn by Muslim schoolgirls as a sort of "iconic emblem of defiance". Bishop has been supported in the public domain by Liberal MP Sophie Panopoulos.

The Federal Government has had no compunction in the past about feeding fear and ignorance in the community for political advantage. The leading examples are the manipulation of the Tampa "crisis" during the 2001 election and the Prime Minister's silence during the rise of One Nation.

For Liberal MPs including senior Cabinet ministers to feed the current divisive debate is an indictment on the leadership of this nation. Banning the hijab in public schools does not signal some sort of symbolic separation of the Church and State in Australia. (There is, of course, no call for private schools to expunge expressions of religious belief despite the government funding they receive). Rather it is the death knell of multiculturalism in Australia. It is our public schools and TAFE colleges that allow Australians to grow up with an embrace of multiculturalism, not sectarianism. Public education enables pluralism to work while maintaining social cohesion.

It is impossible to believe that any of these comments, including those by the Treasurer, Peter Costello, have been accidental. They have at least the appearance of orchestration.

While the full blown and ambitious Nelson is dangerous, one has to wonder whether he is also deluded having opened the debate last month about "intelligent design" (also known as creationism) being taught in our schools. Nelson told the Press Club on August 10 that intelligent design could have a place alongside evolution in our schools if parents wished. Minister Nelson has seen the DVD Unlocking the Mysteries of Life. His comments follow the lead in the United States of President George W Bush who has left open the possibility that intelligent design could be taught alongside evolution in science classes in American schools. Brendan Nelson at least did not believe it should be a replacement for teaching the "origins of mankind in a scientific sense". Rather it was a choice for parents and schools who wished students to be exposed to the "intelligent design" theory.

Teachers are bemused and angry that the Federal Education Minister would dignify creationism with his ministerial backing. The scientist, Paul Davies, describes intelligent design as "creationism in a cheap tuxedo". Teachers will and must reject this foray by fundamental Christians into our schools. However, it also signals the growing strength of extreme right religious groups into the political domain. Teachers will be called on to enter the debate against the creeping insinuation of the religious right into schools, politics and the State.

Given Minister Nelson's delight about using the funding lever to blackmail public education communities, one wonders if the offering of "intelligent design" as a choice will join the regulations along with flagpoles and the ranking of students into quartiles for every key learning area.

And finally, wasn't Dr Nelson in fine form when he gushed on August 25 that Simpson and his donkey, the symbol of the Federal Government's values in schools materials, was "unarmed and [he] represents everything at the heart of what it means to be Australian". Probably so, Dr Nelson, but Simpson was a pacificist, socialist, trade unionist and, in today's world, an "illegal immigrant". His values appear to have been the antithesis of the current Federal Government's.

The debate about the Federal Government's proposals for student report cards has taken a decisive turn with the Victorian and South Australian State Governments standing up to Nelson on education grounds. These governments were strengthened by the united voice of teachers, parents and principals in those states. Despite his threats and bluster, Brendan Nelson did not withdraw funds from Victorian and South Australian schools. By contrast the NSW Government has complied with the Nelson agenda. The NSW Public Education Alliance (Federation, Parents and Citizens Associations and principal organisations) have written jointly to the Premier Morris Iemma and Minister Carmel Tebbutt to address the serious problems inherent in the report cards.

Congratulations to Federation members who campaigned tirelessly over the last three years to secure recurrent Treasury funding for the successful Priority Action Schools (PAS) Program. Federation's equity campaigns, including PAS and the campaign for increased ESL provision, define our values as a union and as a profession. Similarly, the Federal Government's actions define their values.

The union movement's industrial relations campaign continues to gain momentum. When the elusive Bill finally enters Parliament we can expect some manufactured Coalition dissent and amelioration of the Bill. It will remain, however, a retrograde and dangerous piece of legislation. On the passing of the legislation, the media will have the propensity to declare the union movement's campaign as dead. Hence the ACTU's national Sky Channel on November 15 will occur at a critical juncture to map out the future of the campaign.

Federation, on behalf of public education teachers, has expressed sorrow and concern for all those who have suffered in the wake of hurricane Katrina. We also appear to have seen in Katrina's wake, the spectre of a society clearly divided between affluent and poor.

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September 2005 contents