Maintenance backlog exposed

The Auditor General's Report, released in the NSW parliament on Wednesday, 17 November, highlights the inadequacies of this government's spending on NSW public schools.

Maree O'Halloran, NSW Teachers Federation President, said today:

"The report showed a reduction in funding for maintenance in the 2003-04 State Budget and an admission by the Department of Education and Training that the current maintenance backlog, analysed in June 2004, is $115 million.

Reports of serious maintenance problems in schools prompted the Federation recently to instigate an audit of the existing maintenance backlog. Schools were asked to convey a list itemising their maintenance backlog directly to the Premier as well as to the Federation.

Professor Vinson's Inquiry into Public Education recommended developing an Asset Register, to be completed and published annually. The Auditor General's report confirms the need for such an approach.

The Minister for Education and Training, Dr Andrew Refschauge, said on Wednesday that "maintenance projects waiting to be completed in schools have decreased - with a $9 million reduction in the maintenance backlog". He avoided comment on the current backlog of $115 million, and how this has been a long standing problem.

Professor Vinson found that NSW government expenditure on education as a proportion of the state budget decreased from 28.4% in 1989-90 to 22% in 2001-02. Despite political statements that conceal or ignore this decline, the fact is that hundreds of millions of extra dollars would be spent on public education if the priorities of the late 1980s were restored.

Neglect of maintenance in public education is further evidence of government under-investment in public infrastructure in NSW."

For further information

©2000-2002 NSWTF Online is a resource for teachers
provided by the NSW Teachers Federation.
[Authorisation of election comment] [Privacy]

http://www.nswtf.org.au/media/latest/20041119_backlog.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005