Public education advertising to start the new year

Sydney Boys High School Fed Rep Steve Storey attaches the latest corflute sign to a school gate.

By Dennis Long

The 2007 media campaign in support of public education was launched on January 20 with a week of radio advertisements in metropolitan and regional NSW.

The 45 second radio commercial, "A vision for the future", says:

"The Howard Government boasts record surpluses whilst our public schools are under-funded by a massive $2.9 billion a year. Just imagine if some of these huge budget windfalls were spent on our great public schools.

"Our children could have 21st century classrooms equipped and funded to provide the academic learning and technological skills needed to keep Australia competitive and successful in the years ahead.

"By becoming a 'clever country' we would once again be able to look with hope and confidence to a brighter future for ourselves and our children.

"We need a national government with the vision and commitment to invest in making our great public education system even greater."

In a media release announcing the radio advertisements and new highway billboards, Federation President Maree O'Halloran highlighted the required $2.9 billion.

"Both Federal and State governments must contribute increased investment," Ms O'Halloran said.

Radio advertising ran on Sydney stations (2DAY-FM, 2MMM-FM, NOVA-FM, 2UE, 2WS-FM) and 37 stations in regional NSW.

The first television commercials went to air on January 28.

The ads were run on channels 7 and 10 in Sydney and on selected regional stations.

The TV ads can be viewed on the Federation website attached to a story posted January 30 under Latest News.

Radio advertising resumed on February 10 with a new script which compares the Federal Budget surplus with the need for public school funding:

"The Howard Government boasts record surpluses. Yet, the government taskforce found a frightening shortfall in public school funding. This is now a massive 2.9 billion dollars a year.

"No wonder our country is losing its competitive edge. This is not good governance and certainly not good economic management.

"If Australia is to remain prosperous we must become a clever country. Investment in our children and our great public schools should be a government priority.

Federation has also distributed new corflute signs for schools and TAFE.

The signs for schools are designed to stand alone or in conjunction with the signs sent to schools in term 3, 2006. The 2006 signs were meant to replace all previous signage so that teachers in public education could send a clear message to the community during a year with state and federal elections.

The Federation has also put up new billboards around NSW.

Print ads about the $2.9 billion shortfall will run in regional and suburban newspapers during the week of February 19.

The advertising campaign has been paid for by the Public Education Fund.

Dennis Long is the Editor.

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Last Modified: 08 Feb 2007