Non-government schools unmask the real Labor agenda

Found this thought it was quite intersting.


link www.liberal.org.au...


Senator the Hon Brett Mason
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education


Non-government schools are fully aware that Labor is sneakily trying to prepare the groundwork for the reappearance of the notorious school “hit list”, according to Senator Brett Mason, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education.


“The Labor Government is using the Schools Assistance Bill 2008, whose primary purpose is to fund non-government primary and secondary education for the 2009 to 2012 period, as the opening gambit in its war on independent schools,” said Senator Mason.


Appearing before the Senate Education Committee’s inquiry into the Schools Assistance Bill 2008 and the Education Legislation Amendment Bill 2008, representatives of Australia’s non-government school sector expressed concern about the proposed provision under the Act that would see the publication of schools’ full financial information, including donations, scholarship funds and community fund-raising.


Under current arrangements, the Federal Government collects some, but not all, information about school incomes as part of government surveys of schools. Such information, however, is kept confidential and not published.


“The financial data now required by the Labor Government is not needed for the calculations under the current SES funding model. Yet Labor insists on this new clause,” said Senator Mason.


“It’s all about sneakily trying to bring back the school “hit list” and penalise success. First you make school finances information publicly available to whip up and fan the politics of envy, then you use the manufactured outcry as an excuse to abolish the current SES funding system when it’s next up for re-negotiation in 2012.


“It’s all about an ideologically driven desire to punish those schools which are successful at raising additional funds for their needs. The Left’s war against independent schools is alive and well in the Labor Party as is now starting to rear up its ugly head again.


“Non-government schools throughout Australia are fully aware of Labor’s secret agenda. They are quite rightly worried about it.”


Mr Robert Johnston, Executive Officer of Australian Association of Christian Schools Ltd, speaking at the inquiry expressed his organisation’s “grave concerns” about the Labor plan to publish schools’ financial information.


Mr Johnston called the move “divisive”, and expressed the view that it will merely serve to stir up debate against non-government schools.


Representatives of the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria told the inquiry about their “anxiety” at the prospect of information being publicly available, only to be “distorted in public press.”


In their submission to the inquiry, the Association also wrote that “Investment in education by parents and the community from private after-tax income is not a matter for government. Big brother supervision of parental decision on investing personal resources in their children’s education is extreme micromanagement.”

I agree it should be prevented. Which ways and which acts can we vote agaisnt it

I agree it should be prevented. Which ways and which acts can we vote agaisnt it

reply to post by hightower


G'day! I am a Aussie. I live in West Australia. Before the elections, Labor spammed t.v. about "more money for public schools". After the elections what do we have for the public schools? Computers. And more money funding the private school system. I really wish Labor was abit more educated about our defence force, a few days ago a fishing boat just happens to "sneak past" Australian's Navy.

reply to post by gordonwest


I can not belive other Australians is not responding to the thread.