[Greens-Media] Greens will oppose Truancy Bill in Senate

[Norton, Tim (Sen R. Siewert)]

Greens will oppose Truancy Bill in Senate
Wednesday 27th August 2008

The Australian Greens today responded the Rudd Government's bill to
allow welfare payments being cut, by vowing to oppose the passage of the
legislation in the Senate.
 
"It is telling that the first piece of legislation Julia Gillard has
introduced to enact the promised 'education revolution' in our schools
is a punitive and populist measure that targets the families of
disadvantaged children - and is likely to make their lives all the
harder," said Senator Siewert today.
 
"I am appalled that the Government thinks this type of approach is the
way to deal with this complex social problem."
 
"The Rudd Government needs to be looking at the social, economic and
educational problems that contribute to truancy problems, rather than
rely on penalizing measures such as welfare quarantining and
suspension," she said.
 
"If the Government are truly concerned about overall truancy levels, why
is it only poor and disadvantaged families on income support who are
being targeted - when we know that troubled kids from all walks of life
will cut school?"
 
"The Government is showing no duty of care for families once their
payments are suspended. There is continued talk about an 'education
revolution', but there is nothing revolutionary in this knee-jerk
punitive approach," said Senator Siewert.
 
"Where is the evidence base that this punitive approach will actually
work? The real factors behind poor school attendance are the failures of
the education system in some regions to deliver appropriate early
childhood and primary education, and provide educational and social
support services for disadvantaged families."
 
"Rather than attempting to punish struggling, low-income families, the
Government should be focusing on the underlying causes of increased
truancy and delivering a real education revolution so that kids want to
be at school," concluded Senator Siewert.
 
For more information or comment call Chris Twomey on 0407 725 025
senator.siewert at aph.gov.au  |  www.rachelsiewert.org.au  |
www.greensmps.org.au