Federal budget

Federal budget funds education election promises and no more

Government research shows that public schools need at least $2.9 billion in additional annual funding (approximately $1 billion for NSW). That funding needs to come from federal and state governments.

The Rudd Government's first budget does not attempt to redress years of chronic and systematic neglect of public education. Public schools need immediate and significant increases in investment in order to provide the conditions for 21st Century learning.

The Budget does provide funding for the Government's education election commitments. It also redirects funding from discredited Howard Government programs such as literacy and numeracy vouchers. However, the estimates and projections from this year's budget show that the Rudd Government has not made any inroads into improving public education's share of the Federal Education Budget.

Teachers in public schools will continue to campaign for increased federal funding for public education.

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Last Modified: 14 May 2008