EDUCATION STILL NOT ON TONY ABBOTT'S AGENDA

Media Release

10 Oct 2014 

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meets today, and despite explicit promises to address school funding, Tony Abbott and his Liberal state colleagues are again trying to hide the impact of education budget cuts from Australian voters.

Despite Tony Abbott's crystal-clear commitments, school funding is still not on the COAG agenda, after already being bumped previously:

COAG agreed that at its next meeting it will look at schools' funding [COAG COMMUNIQUÉ, 13 DECEMBER 2013]

Well, schools will be obviously on the agenda next time. [TONY ABBOTT, PRESS CONFERENCE, 2 MAY 2014]

Schools funding - COAG agreed to discuss schools funding at its next meeting. [COAG COMMUNIQUÉ, 2 MAY 2014]

In the wake of the Abbott Government's cuts to the vital fifth and sixth years of the Gonski reforms - and the $80 billion cuts to schools and hospitals announced in the Budget - the issue of school funding needs to be urgently addressed.

"Tony Abbott broke his promise to honour the Gonski agreements, and his Budget contained the biggest ever cuts to our schools," Shadow Minister for Education, Kate Ellis, said.

"Yet again, Tony Abbott has refused to even discuss the impact of his cuts on Australian classrooms."

"There is only one reason for this - Tony Abbott and his political mates are trying to keep a lid on these issues until after the Victorian, Queensland and New South Wales elections."

"It's time for Liberal Premiers to stand up for their schools, rather than collaborate with Abbott to hide the true damage of his cuts and broken promises."

Kate Ellis said the Government's cuts to the Gonski reforms and its decision to link school funding to CPI from 2018 would leave every Australian school an average of $3.2 million worse off, the equivalent of sacking one in every seven teachers.