1PM TODAY: AEU LAUNCHES MOBILE BILLBOARD IN ULVERSTONE DEMANDING FULL AND FAIR FUNDING FOR NORTHERN TASMANIA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Australian Education Union is launching a mobile billboard in Ulverstone to kickstart their election campaign demanding full and proper funding for Northern Tasmania’s public schools from the next Federal Government.
Figures released today by the Australian Education Union show that with proper and fair funding from the Federal Government, every public school could employ an average of four (Braddon) and six (Bass) more teachers and provide additional learning programs for students who need extra help.
“Each year, public schools in Braddon and Bass are missing out on $1289, per student in school funding because of the failure of the Federal Government to ensure that every school is funded to a minimum of 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS),” AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said.
“For too long, the Morrison Government has shirked their responsibility for Northern Tasmania’s public schools.
“The current funding shortfall denies public school students, their families and teachers the funding they need to maximise their full potential and thrive.
“This urgent situation will be made worse by Morrison’s $559 million cut to public school funding in the Federal Budget.
“The upcoming federal election is an opportunity to elect a government that prioritises Bass and Braddon’s public schools, their students, teachers and families.”
Australian Education Union Tasmania Branch State Manager, Brian Wightman highlighted how students would benefit from increased support and more individual attention if the incoming Federal Government properly and fairly funds every public school in Northern Tasmania.
“The Morrison Government has repeatedly failed our public schools. We cannot afford another term of their callous and deep funding cuts to Northern Tasmania’s public schools,” Mr Wightman said.
“Bass and Braddon public schools provide high quality education to every child, irrespective of their circumstances.
“With proper and full funding, public school students in Bass and Braddon can benefit from more teachers and education support staff, reduced class sizes and specialised learning programs that cater to their individual needs.
“The current funding shortfall in Tasmania’s public schools must be urgently addressed by the next Federal Government.”
The mobile billboard also highlights the Morrison Government’s failures on TAFE. Nationally, vocational education and training and TAFE funding is $8 billion lower since the Coalition was elected in 2013.
-ENDS
Australian Education Union Federal President Correna Haythorpe and Tasmania Branch State Manager Brian Wightman will be joined by local teachers at Ulverstone Secondary College today to launch the billboard and address the media at 1pm.
Media contact: Alys Gagnon, 0438 379 977, alys.gagnon@essentialmedia.com.au
Jon Stanger, 0437 374 125, communicationsadvisor@aeutas.org.au
Local data breakdown, showing how many teachers could be employed and the reduction in average class sizes per public school in Bass and Braddon if the Federal Government ensured public schools were funded to 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard.
| Electorate | School Name | Per student funding shortfall per year | Total funding shortfall over three years | Additional teachers could hire per electorate average |
| Bass | Beaconsfield Primary School | $1,289 | $866,208 | 6 |
| Bass | Bridport Primary School | $1,289 | $754,065 | 6 |
| Bass | Brooks High School | $1,289 | $1,713,081 | 6 |
| Bass | Cape Barren Island School | $1,289 | $38,670 | 6 |
| Bass | East Launceston Primary School | $1,289 | $2,030,175 | 6 |
| Bass | East Tamar Primary School | $1,289 | $1,264,509 | 6 |
| Bass | Exeter High School | $1,289 | $1,191,036 | 6 |
| Bass | Exeter Primary School | $1,289 | $1,527,465 | 6 |
| Bass | Flinders Island District High School | $1,289 | $390,567 | 6 |
| Bass | Glen Dhu Primary School | $1,289 | $1,341,849 | 6 |
| Bass | Invermay Primary School | $1,289 | $1,330,248 | 6 |
| Bass | Kings Meadows High School | $1,289 | $2,316,333 | 6 |
| Bass | Launceston Big Picture School | $1,289 | $348,030 | 6 |
| Bass | Launceston College | $1,289 | $5,034,834 | 6 |
| Bass | Lilydale District School | $1,289 | $1,481,061 | 6 |
| Bass | Mowbray Heights Primary School | $1,289 | $2,161,653 | 6 |
| Bass | Newstead College | $1,289 | $2,049,510 | 6 |
| Bass | Northern Support School | $1,289 | $398,301 | 6 |
| Bass | Norwood Primary School | $1,289 | $1,968,303 | 6 |
| Bass | Port Dalrymple School | $1,289 | $1,848,426 | 6 |
| Bass | Prospect High School | $1,289 | $1,759,485 | 6 |
| Bass | Punchbowl Primary School | $1,289 | $1,403,721 | 6 |
| Bass | Queechy High School | $1,289 | $2,648,895 | 6 |
| Bass | Ravenswood Heights Primary School | $1,289 | $1,117,563 | 6 |
| Bass | Ringarooma Primary School | $1,289 | $332,562 | 6 |
| Bass | Riverside High School | $1,289 | $2,973,723 | 6 |
| Bass | Riverside Primary School | $1,289 | $3,000,792 | 6 |
| Bass | Scottsdale High School | $1,289 | $1,179,435 | 6 |
| Bass | Scottsdale Primary School | $1,289 | $1,136,898 | 6 |
| Bass | South George Town Primary School | $1,289 | $823,671 | 6 |
| Bass | St Leonards Primary School | $1,289 | $993,819 | 6 |
| Bass | Summerdale Primary School | $1,289 | $2,003,106 | 6 |
| Bass | Trevallyn Primary School | $1,289 | $1,894,830 | 6 |
| Bass | Waverley Primary School | $1,289 | $610,986 | 6 |
| Bass | West Launceston Primary School | $1,289 | $1,631,874 | 6 |
| Bass | Winnaleah District High School | $1,289 | $332,562 | 6 |
| Bass | Youngtown Primary School | $1,289 | $1,245,174 | 6 |
| Braddon | Andrews Creek Primary School | $1,289 | $614,853 | 4 |
| Braddon | Boat Harbour Primary School | $1,289 | $1,032,489 | 4 |
| Braddon | Burnie High School | $1,289 | $2,362,737 | 4 |
| Braddon | Burnie Primary School | $1,289 | $1,434,657 | 4 |
| Braddon | Cooee Primary School | $1,289 | $696,060 | 4 |
| Braddon | Devonport High School | $1,289 | $1,755,618 | 4 |
| Braddon | Devonport Primary School | $1,289 | $1,098,228 | 4 |
| Braddon | Don College | $1,289 | $2,965,989 | 4 |
| Braddon | East Devonport Primary School | $1,289 | $843,006 | 4 |
| Braddon | East Ulverstone Primary School | $1,289 | $974,484 | 4 |
| Braddon | Edith Creek Primary School | $1,289 | $228,153 | 4 |
| Braddon | Forest Primary School | $1,289 | $641,922 | 4 |
| Braddon | Forth Primary School | $1,289 | $800,469 | 4 |
| Braddon | Havenview Primary School | $1,289 | $498,843 | 4 |
| Braddon | Hellyer College | $1,289 | $2,675,964 | 4 |
| Braddon | Hillcrest Primary School | $1,289 | $804,336 | 4 |
| Braddon | King Island District High School | $1,289 | $785,001 | 4 |
| Braddon | Latrobe High School | $1,289 | $2,068,845 | 4 |
| Braddon | Latrobe Primary School | $1,289 | $1,365,051 | 4 |
| Braddon | Miandetta Primary School | $1,289 | $1,322,514 | 4 |
| Braddon | Montello Primary School | $1,289 | $1,330,248 | 4 |
| Braddon | Mountain Heights School | $1,289 | $723,129 | 4 |
| Braddon | Natone Primary School | $1,289 | $104,409 | 4 |
| Braddon | Nixon Street Primary School | $1,289 | $1,778,820 | 4 |
| Braddon | North West Support School | $1,289 | $510,444 | 4 |
| Braddon | Parklands High School | $1,289 | $1,562,268 | 4 |
| Braddon | Penguin District School | $1,289 | $2,521,284 | 4 |
| Braddon | Port Sorell Primary School | $1,289 | $1,117,563 | 4 |
| Braddon | Redpa Primary School | $1,289 | $150,813 | 4 |
| Braddon | Reece High School | $1,289 | $1,836,825 | 4 |
| Braddon | Riana Primary School | $1,289 | $448,572 | 4 |
| Braddon | Ridgley Primary School | $1,289 | $433,104 | 4 |
| Braddon | Romaine Park Primary School | $1,289 | $1,318,647 | 4 |
| Braddon | Rosebery District School | $1,289 | $305,493 | 4 |
| Braddon | Sassafras Primary School | $1,289 | $201,084 | 4 |
| Braddon | Smithton High School | $1,289 | $1,314,780 | 4 |
| Braddon | Smithton Primary School | $1,289 | $746,331 | 4 |
| Braddon | Somerset Primary School | $1,289 | $1,515,864 | 4 |
| Braddon | Sprent Primary School | $1,289 | $96,675 | 4 |
| Braddon | Spreyton Primary School | $1,289 | $1,577,736 | 4 |
| Braddon | Stanley Primary School | $1,289 | $270,690 | 4 |
| Braddon | Strahan Primary School | $1,289 | $208,818 | 4 |
| Braddon | Table Cape Primary School | $1,289 | $1,407,588 | 4 |
| Braddon | Ulverstone Primary School | $1,289 | $1,678,278 | 4 |
| Braddon | Ulverstone Secondary College | $1,289 | $2,382,072 | 4 |
| Braddon | West Ulverstone Primary School | $1,289 | $645,789 | 4 |
| Braddon | Wynyard High School | $1,289 | $1,009,287 | 4 |
| Braddon | Yolla District School | $1,289 | $734,730 | 4 |
| Braddon | Zeehan Primary School | $1,289 | $251,355 | 4 |
Authorised by Kevin Bates, Federal Secretary, Australian Education Union, 120 Clarendon Street, Southbank VIC 3006.
