Polling proves public school funding a crucial election issue

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29 April 2019

A poll conducted in five marginal federal electorates around Australia has demonstrated that the Morrison Government’s $14 billion in public school funding cuts will likely cost it seats at the federal election.

The poll, carried out on behalf of the AEU, showed yet again the strong support that the Fair Funding Now! campaign has built in the community holds for the fair funding of public schools.

The poll, of over 3200 voters, was conducted recently in the Liberal-held seats of Gilmore (NSW), Corangamite (Victoria), Boothby (South Australia), Dickson (Queensland) and Pearce (Western Australia).

The results showed that voters in marginal Liberal seats overwhelmingly support a greater investment in public schools rather than tax cuts for high income earners as proposed by the Morrison Government.

In other findings, the polling showed:

  • Around two thirds of voters in each of the five seats polled said a much greater investment in local public schools was a better use of federal funding than tax cuts for high income earners.
  • More than 43% of Liberal voters in each seat preferred a greater investment in public schools over tax cuts.
  • Between 78% and 88% of voters in each seat said proper funding for public schools was important to deciding which candidate they would vote for.
  • More than 40% of undecided voters in each seat said they were less likely to vote for the Liberal candidate or MP after the Morrison Government’s decision to give $4.6 billion extra to private schools and nothing to public schools.

The polling shows that voters understand that there is a clear choice in the federal election for people who care about public schools and students.

The Federal Coalition has a six-year- record of attacks on public schools and will cut $14 billion from public school funding over the next decade.

By contrast Labor has pledged to reverse Scott Morrison’s school funding cuts, including $3.3 billion in the first three years of a Shorten Labor Government.

In order to secure fair funding for public schools it is time for a change of government.