Politicians need to catch up to the public’s priority, Hopgood says

Susan Hopgood…The Australian public wants public schools to be funded properly.

by Kerri Carr

Australian people understand the importance of public education and we've got to make sure that politicians do too, Australian Education Union Federal Secretary Susan Hopgood told annual conference on July 2.

"What we know we need is a government that will prioritise public schools," she said.

"Our [Australian Education Union] polling...in eight marginal seats around the country, shows very clearly that the Australian public wants public schools to be funded properly.

"67 per cent of soft voters in that poll agreed that public schools have been underfunded.

"60 per cent believe that John Howard has been the private school prime minister and an overwhelming 79 per cent agree that we need a federal government that will put public schools first."

Ms Hopgood said the Australian Education Union's public education campaign was focussing on the need for public schools to get "our proper share of federal government funding".

"We know we need $2.9 billion extra per year if we are to ensure that every child attending a public school can achieve a quality school [education] and meet the benchmarks."

Ms Hopgood said the public education campaign was a "rejection of the Howard Government's obscene funding policies".

She reported the 13 per cent of Australian students who attend independent schools now receive more federal government funding than the 70 per cent of Australian students who go to public schools.

"How can we call that anything but obscene?" she asked.

"We know that the Budget figures project that over the next four years private school funding from the federal government will increase by 30 per cent while public school funding will increase by only 10 per cent," she also said.

Ms Hopgood said the defeat of the Howard Government at the federal election was "essential".

"It's essential if we are to overturn the industrial relations legislation known as WorkChoices...; if we are to put a halt to the privatisation of education, the constant undermining of public education, the attack on teachers in the public education system and the underfunding of our system; if we are to have a real and practical response to global warming; if we are to stop the ongoing racism policies, particularly aimed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people."

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Last Modified: 26 Jul 2007