SCHOOL FUNDING PLEA TAKES OVER THE SYDNEY SKY

The AEU’s pre-election campaign was launched with a spectacular drone show above Sydney’s skyline, urging the Albanese Government to fully fund public schools, as promised.

As Parliament ends for the year and the Federal Election looms, the AEU lit up the Sydney Harbour with a request direct to the Prime Minister to fully fund schools to 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS).

Featuring over 300 individual drones, the sky from Sydney’s Botanic Gardens to the Opera House was alight with a dazzling display, calling on the Albanese Government to deliver on their longstanding promise to fully fund public schools so that every child can reach their full potential.

AEU President Correna Haythorpe said Prime Minister Albanese’s commitment to fully fund public schools is in danger of being viewed as a broken promise, with outstanding negotiations yet to secure funding for all states.

“In the lead up to the last federal election Prime Minister Albanese promised to ensure that every public school was on the pathway to 100 percent full funding. Yet only 1.3% of public schools are funded at the SRS currently, the minimum cost of educating a child,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“The Prime Minister must act now and negotiate new bilateral school funding agreements with each state and territory to ensure that all public schools are resourced at a minimum of 100% of the SRS by 2029. The 22.5% offer from the Albanese government is inadequate and does not deliver on their promise.

“The full funding of public schools is a crucial issue for the AEU, and we will commit our full campaigning potential to the cause as we have done for every federal election since the original Gonski review was handed down.

“This message above Sydney’s sky is just the beginning, as we urge the Prime Minister to fulfil the promise that was made by Labor more than a decade ago. We have seen an entire generation of students miss out on this vital funding; we cannot afford for the next generation to miss out as well.”

“The total public school underfunding in the Prime Minister’s electorate Grayndler is $22.2 million per year. That means that every school in the Prime Minister’s own electorate is missing out on $765,000 in funding each year.

“The total public school underfunding in Education Minister Jason Clare’s electorate Blaxland is $31.6 million per year, with every school in that electorate missing out on $880,000 in funding each year.

“That means every public school in these electorates is denied the essential funding they need for their students learning.”

With school funding negotiations with New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria at a standstill, Ms Haythorpe said it was a risky move for the Albanese government to be heading to the federal election without resolving the impasse and providing the funding needed.

"The vast majority of Australian students and their families in public schools reside in these states and fully funding their local schools matters to them and their communities”

“With the majority of states yet to sign bilateral agreements, we express our hope that the Albanese Government will prioritise the 2.6 million students in public schools and deliver the full funding required for high quality teaching and learning for all students," Ms Haythorpe said.

“At this next federal election, the Albanese government must settle the school funding debacle once and for all by prioritising the full funding of public schools because it is the right thing to do for Australia’s children and their teachers.”

To address the funding shortfall, the AEU is campaigning to achieve:

- A full commitment to a genuine 25% SRS share from the Commonwealth

- A genuine 75% SRS share from states and territories including the removal of the 4% depreciation tax

Neither of these issues have been addressed by the Better and Fairer Schools legislation that passed the Senate yesterday.

"The AEU welcomes the funding floor that is set by this legislation, as it gives certainty to schools by enshrining a minimum amount of Commonwealth funding,” Ms Haythorpe said.

"However, we maintain our ongoing concerns that public schools across the nation will remain underfunded by billions of dollars over the next decade unless that floor is lifted to 25%, and all funding is required to go to public schools rather than the current conditions that allow 4% to go to non-school based costs."

Additional comments:

New South Wales Teachers Federation President Henry Rajendra

“The Albanese Government’s failure to fully fund public schools denies us critical opportunities to meet the needs of all students.”

AEU Victoria President Meredith Peace

“The Albanese government’s decision to walk away from their promise to fully fund public schools and use students as political pawns in their stoush with state governments, will deny Victorian public school students and their schools billions of dollars over the next decade, resulting in students missing out on the crucial support and programs they need.”

AEU SA President Jennie-Marie Gorman

“Public school students in South Australia deserve the resources, opportunities and a fully funded school as promised by the Albanese Government.”

Queensland Teachers Union Acting President Leah Olsson

“Fully funding private schools while Queensland’s state schools miss out is public knowledge, and politicians trying to convince anyone that this shame should continue is underestimating the intelligence and anger of school communities and taxpayers.”

Videos and images of the drone show will be available from 5am Thursday 28 November here.

ENDS

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