[Greens-Media] Private school funding cover up is bad policy

[John Kaye]

Private school funding cover up is bad policy

Greens Media Release: 9 August 2006

The Greens today condemned Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop's 
retreat from a promised public review of private school funding.

Commenting on a story in today's Sydney Morning Herald (p. 5), Greens 
NSW Education spokesperson John Kaye said "Somewhere between 4 June 
and 17 July the Minister lost her nerve in the face of pressure from 
the private school lobby. She decided that an open inquiry into the 
future of private school funding that she had agreed to would be too 
hot to handle.

"While continuing with her promise of a public review as late as May 
of this year, we now find out that in mid July the Minister cancelled 
the inquiry in favour of a bureaucratic investigation behind closed doors.

"The terms of reference are secret. Selected private school lobby 
groups will be able to make submissions in secret. Even the findings 
will be secret.

"Up to $7.4 billion a year will be handed over to private schools by 
2012 without any public input into how funding levels are set or what 
impact they will have on neighbouring public schools.

"This is a lot of money with huge consequences for the future of 
Australia's education system. The Howard government's funding system 
has already inflicted hardship on public education. All Australians 
have a right to be part of the review that will largely set the 
future of education in this country.

"The Minister has shut the public out of the review. She is allowing 
the private schools industry to run the show, while public school 
teachers and parents and concerned members of the community are to be ignored.

"The future of private school funding is too important to be 
determined behind closed doors based exclusively on input from the 
private school lobby," Dr Kaye said.


For more information:   John Kaye 0407 195 455


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John Kaye
email: john at nsw.greens.org.au
mob: 0407 195 455
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