Auspoll survey reveals public dissatisfaction with O'Farrell budget cuts
The recently announced funding cuts to NSW public schools and TAFE colleges have resulted in a political backlash against the O’Farrell Government only eighteen months after its landslide win.
A poll released today shows overwhelming support for a greater investment in public schools and state-wide opposition to the NSW Government’s cuts.
Federation Deputy President, Gary Zadkovich, addressed the media this morning in a press conference behind Parliament House:
NSW Teachers Federation President Maurie Mulheron said the AUSPOLL survey reveals:
- Over 70 per cent oppose the $1.7 billion in cuts to public education announced by the O’Farrell Government and only 14 per cent support them
- 70 per cent said the cuts would have a negative impact on children in schools
- 82 per cent said they believed it was either important or very important to increase funding for public schools
- Only 28 per cent said they would have voted for Mr O’Farrell if they knew he would make the cuts
“The NSW community clearly feels deceived. Every public school and every TAFE college will lose funding as a result of the most severe cuts in a generation,” Mr Mulheron said.
“Quite clearly, the Government’s attempt to use the Local Schools Local Decisions policy to disguise the cuts has failed.
“The polling shows that, while anger exists across the state, it is even more pronounced in rural areas.
“These cuts contradict the NSW Government’s own submission to the Gonski funding review last year in which it warned that many children were being left behind and that funding for education needed to be increased.
Mr Mulheron said that the NSW Teachers Federation will develop a community based campaign against the cuts that will involve a broad alliance of parents, teachers, principals and concerned citizens.
(The Sydney Morning Herald reports on the Auspoll survey in this morning's edition.)
You can also download the entire Auspoll survey report below.
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| Auspoll Education Cuts Survey | 524.29 KB |
