"Today's announcement of the ALP's Schools Policy has established a dramatic set of differences between the Government and Opposition in relation to the future of schools in Australia and our future as a nation," said Mr Denis Fitzgerald, Federal President of the Australian Education Union.

"The billion dollar commitment to educational investment is a potentially transformational act of belief in our young. The foundation for the Knowledge Nation has been laid."

"The ALP has correctly emphasised questions of educational disadvantage, the redistribution of funding from the wealthy to the more needy, the role of pre-schools and funding support for professional development and teacher supply."

"The real funding commitments to Education Priority Zones will give Australia the capacity to address the educational requirements of those communities with the greatest need. The initiatives announced for early childhood education will allow the teaching profession to provide the very young with the best possible start to their schooling."

"The ALP Schools policy begins the process of re-establishing public education as the first priority in education for Federal government. It is also welcome to see the alternative government show understanding as to what are the greatest needs of school children in Australia."

"In contrast, the Coalition has quietly released a Schools policy which freezes funding shares at the current iniquitous levels, leaving youngsters in public schools with less than 32% of tax funds spent by Canberra. Mr. Howard has even promised elite private education a continuation of their obscene grab of public money until 2008. Increasingly, the Coalition Government appears to be out of touch and out of time."

"Teachers and parents will pressure the ALP, if it comes to government, to direct significant shares of any expanded budget revenues towards bringing forward expenditures on the educational goals its policy has outlined."

Contact:
AEU Federal President, Denis Fitzgerald on mob. 0416 254 154

Authorised by D. Fitzgerald, AEU President, 120 Clarendon St, Southbank Vic. 3006 Australia