Dutton Must Come Clean On Public Education Cuts

The Australian Education Union (AEU) is calling on the Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton to immediately come clean on his plans for cuts to public education.

Following the actions of Donald Trump, Peter Dutton has signalled cuts to the Federal Department of Education, should he become Prime Minister, and has provided no commitment on the funding of public schools.

Last night on Sky News Mr Dutton said:

"People ask… Why have you got a department of thousands and thousands of people at a department called the Department of Education in Canberra if you don't run a school?"

Mr Dutton also said that under his lead there would be "conditions on our funding" to state governments for education if schools teach what he terms “indoctrination”.

“We have had no clarity on the cuts Peter Dutton plans to make to education, nor will he come clean on what his plans are for public education,” AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said.

“Peter Dutton has had three years as leader and has never supported public education in that time.

“Now he is taking a leaf from the Trump playbook by going for the Department of Education by threatening to cut thousands of jobs, control what teachers teach – and pull funding if they don’t comply with his ideology.

“Peter Dutton’s proposed control of the school curriculum is chilling, when we see what is happening in the US with book banning and the destruction of teacher's professional autonomy.

“The AEU has written to Mr Dutton, calling on him to provide bipartisan support for the Albanese Government’s commitment to full funding of public schools. Weeks later we have had no response.

“Last week we joined 31 organisations in an open letter to Peter Dutton, urging him to support the public school funding agreements recently announced by the Albanese Government.

"We called on Peter Dutton to give bipartisan support to the Albanese Government’s commitment to lift the federal share of public school funding to 25% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) – the amount needed for every child to succeed no matter their circumstances.

“There has been silence in response. The only conclusions that can be drawn from the Opposition leader’s comments thus far is that public schools funding and the Federal Department of Education are gravely at risk if a Dutton Government is elected.

“It’s clear that public schools can’t risk a Dutton government.”

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kylie Jensen – 0402 298 728