Government can’t sweep Schools Bill problems

“The concern expressed today by the Western Australian Education Minister, Liz Constable, highlights the importance of a thorough examination of the Schools Assistance Bill 2008,” said Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training.

“With submissions to the Senate Committee closing today it is up to the Federal Government to ensure the timely passage of this Bill, as it is the Government that decides when these matters are debated,” Mr Pyne said.

“The Rudd Government has left this legislation to the last minute, in an attempt to slide changes under the radar and stymie debate. For the Deputy Prime Minister to pretend there aren’t serious concerns about this legislation is just arrogant,” he said.

“Just today the Western Australian Education Minister, Liz Constable, highlighted the concerns of school principals in her state who are worried they’re being forced to sign up to a prescriptive national curriculum that won’t be completed until mid 2009, without having seen the content.

“Ms Gillard has also confirmed that all funding sources for non-government schools will be published, a move to bring back the politics of envy and the private schools hit list.

Changes to this Bill will:

• rip away start-up funding for new non-government schools;
• vastly increase power for the Minister to delay or end funding to non-government schools (if that school receives an audit that is qualified for any reason);
• place a constrictive strait jacket on non-government schools requiring adherence to a national curriculum that puts at risk Steiner, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, University of Cambridge International Examinations, Christian, Jewish, Islamic and special needs schools; and
• force non-government schools to reveal for publication every funding source to the school or an associated body. This information – that could range from philanthropic bequests to chocolate raffles or bake sales – is entirely superfluous to the calculation of a school’s socio-economic status under the current funding model.

“The Federal Opposition simply wants to remove ambiguity in this legislation, and ensure that non-government schools aren’t going to be used in Ms Gillard’s ideological battles,” Mr Pyne said.

“Non-government schools educate more than 40% of Australian secondary students. Parents who scrimp and struggle to send their children to non-government schools save the Australian taxpayer billions and they should be supported,” he said.

31 October 2008

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Adam Howard

0400 414 833