The overwhelming majority of voters in 18 key marginal electorates believe federal funding for public school is too low and that funding should be increased straight away, a new poll reveals.
The survey results have been published as the Australian Education Union launches the Fair Funding Now campaign today.
“We urge all parents, teachers and community members to show their support by signing up for the campaign at FairFundingNow.org.au,” NSW Teachers Federation President Maurie Mulheron said.
Results of the Australian Education Union poll, conducted by QDOS Research, show school funding will be a key federal election vote decider, with 83 per cent of respondents stating that public school funding is very important or fairly important to how they will vote.
- 83 per cent of voters say funding public schools is important in deciding who they will vote for in the next federal election.
- Only 24 per cent of voters think Malcolm Turnbull is focused on ensuring public schools are in good shape.
72 per cent of voters think federal funding for public schools is too low.
79 per cent of voters think increasing public school funding is better for Australia than cutting company tax rates.
81 per cent of soft voters have no confidence in Malcolm Turnbull to provide funds for public schools in the future.
The poll revealed school funding is more important to voters than cutting company tax rates, with 79 per cent of respondents stating that increasing public school funding to the national Schooling Resource Standard is better for Australia’s future than cutting company tax rates.
AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said: “The Australian public has spoken – they want fair funding for public schools and they want it now.”
“Malcolm Turnbull may have thought he settled the school funding issue, but he has started a new funding war and we’ll be fighting for our public schools right up until the election.”