Community efforts lead to social change

Kerry Nettle speaks with TAFE part time casual teacher Dianne Sykes.

by Kerri Carr

Social change is the key to getting changes in the Parliament, Greens Senator Kerry Nettle told Annual Conference.

"I always say to people 'we can do a lot in Parliament and we will continue to do that, but our great power and our strength is where we are working in conjunction with campaigns in the community'."

Ms Nettle said the work that needs to be done in the lead up to the federal election was about convincing parents or those people that don't have children about the value of the public education sector "because that's what's going to ultimately influence and shape the decisions that the Opposition makes if they are to become in Government".

"Of course, we'll continue to do a lot of work...but I really think that it's wrong to think that we can fix this in Parliament because that's not where social change happens ...it's people in the community and every now and then it gets picked up by Parliamentarians when electorally it becomes a good idea."

Senator Nettle said a "free and universal, high quality public education system" was the best policy option for Australia.

"When governments choose whether or not they want to put money into the public schools sector, or whether they want to continue to subsidise private schools in this country, they are making a clear decision about the kind of future and the kind of society that they want us all the live in," Senator Nettle said.

"That choice is between an inclusive, cohesive society and a divided, elitist society.

"This is a choice the Greens are certainly unafraid to make and we say loudly and clearly that public education must be a priority for all Governments and all levels of Government."

Senator Nettle said: "We are strident and proud in recognising the need to re-prioritise public school funding and public school education ahead of private school education and funding."

She said it was the Government's responsibility to fund the public education sector.

"They have the responsibility of collecting the taxes and making the decisions about how they spend them. If they truly have the best interests of the whole of our community at heart, they will spend funds in the public education sector.

"If we can afford to invade and to bomb Iraq at a cost of $1 billion and counting, we can afford to invest in public education. And if we can afford to subsidise the wealthiest private schools to the tune of $1.5 billion per annum, we can afford to invest in and support the public education sector.

"If we can afford tax cuts that add up to $14.7 billion to people who are earning over $52,000 a year, we are shooting ourselves in the foot with a whole bucket of money that we should be pouring into not only public schools, but also public hospitals and a raft of other public services," she said.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005