MEDIA RELEASE
NSW GOVERNMENT AGAIN FAILS TO FUND ITS SCHOOLS
25 June, 2003 MIN 384/03
Parents and teachers in New South Wales state government schools
have every reason to be bitterly disappointed with yesterday’s
budget delivered by the Carr Government.
While the NSW Budget papers claim an 8% increase in total
expenses on school education services, the actual figure is a
fraction of this.
Compared to the latest estimate of what NSW is actually planning
to spend on its state government schools this financial year, the
2003-04 Budget provides for only a 0.8% increase in government
school expenditure. After taking CPI into account, this will be a
significant decrease in real terms.
In the May budget the Commonwealth increased its spending on NSW
state government schools by 5.7%. If the NSW Government had matched
this increase NSW state government schools would today be
$292 million better off.
The NSW budget has been strongly criticised by the NSW Teachers
Federation:
"Despite the
Government's rhetoric the budget has not delivered the significantly
increased investment needed by public education communities. This
need was fully documented by the Vinson Report into public education
published in 2002."
Maree
O'Halloran, President NSW Teachers Federation, Media Release 25 June
2003
Maralyn Parker in the Daily Telegraph (p. 24) said:
"Don’t tell me it stinks. Tell Mr Carr."
Government schools are the direct responsibility of State and
Territory Governments. Unless these governments at least match the
Commonwealth’s rate of increases in funding they are failing to
fulfil one of their main responsibilities.
Over the next financial year the GST will deliver more than $9.2
billion in revenue to NSW. The NSW Government has no excuse for not
properly funding NSW government schools.
Media contact:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
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