Voters in Dickson prefer public school investment over tax cuts for the wealthy

New polling has shown that voters in Dickson haven’t been fooled by the Morrison Government’s attempts to disguise its $14 billion in public school funding cuts as evidence of record school funding.

The Morrison Government cuts would see $647 million cut from public schools in Queensland over the next three years.

According to the polling, voters in Dickson overwhelmingly support a greater investment in public schools rather than tax cuts for high income earners as proposed by the Morrison Government.

Two thirds of voters polled in Dickson, including more than half of all Liberal voters, said a much greater investment in local public schools was a better use of federal funding than tax cuts for high income earners.

The poll of 660 voters was conducted last week.

Queensland Teachers Union President Kevin Bates said an overwhelming majority of voters in Dickson also indicated that public school funding would be an important or very important issue for them when deciding how to vote.

“The Morrison Government’s plan to cut $647 million from public schools in Queensland while delivering big tax cuts to high income earners is the opposite to what the public wants,” Mr Bates said.

“They want to see our children in public schools in Kallangur, Bray Park and Lawnton put first, not unaffordable tax cuts that will lead to $40 billion in government spending cuts every year just to pay for them.”

The polling shows:

• Nearly 8 in 10 voters in Dickson say proper funding of public schools is important to them when voting, including 71% of Liberal voters.
• 53% of all voters in Dickson want to prioritise funding for public schools over extra funding for private schools.
• 67% of all voters in Dickson (including 50% of Liberals, 59% of undecided voters and 55% of voters for other/independent candidates) would prefer much greater investment in public schools over tax cuts for those on high incomes.

42% of voters in Dickson say the Coalition’s $4.6 billion special funding deal to private schools makes them less likely to vote Liberal.

“The Federal Coalition’s record on education and public schools is a poor one,” Mr Bates said.

“First Tony Abbott tried to cut $30 billion from schools, and then Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison reduced that to a $14 billion cut for public schools.”

“That meant schools across Dickson, from Strathpine to Samford Village, received less funding for high-needs students, such as those with a disability and those from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Mr Bates said.

“By contrast, public schools in Dickson would receive an extra $16,660,000 in funding in the first three years of a Shorten Labor Government.

Mr Bates said there was a clear choice for voters in Dickson who care about public schools and students, with Labor pledging to reverse all Scott Morrison’s $14 billion in school cuts.

“Public schools in Dickson deserve better,” Mr Bates said.