[Greens-Media] Labor MP's education message challenges Rees govt

[John Kaye]

Labor MP's education message challenges Rees govt

Media Release: 22 October 2008

NSW Education Minister Verity Firth should also be in the firing line of her federal colleague Labor MP Julia Irwin's attack on business-as-usual funding of private schools, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye said: "Ms Irwin has broken ranks with the Labor party to criticise their continuation of the Howard government's private school favouritism.

"The Western Sydney MP is to be congratulated for her courage and honesty in standing up for the public education system.

"Ms Firth is the sixth NSW Labor education minister since 2000 to ignore the  massive shift of federal schools funds to the private sector.

"The NSW government has allowed its own funding of private schools to continue to grow. State subsidies now exceed $810 million a year, with more than $63 million going to the 82 wealthiest institutions.

"At the same time, the Rees government has taken away the Priority Action Schools Program funding of 27 NSW public schools serving some of the state's most disadvantaged communities.

"Ms Irwin's criticism applies equally to the NSW Labor government that has failed to stand up to the private education lobby.

"The very least Minister Firth could do is take back the funding of the wealthiest private institutions and use it to bolster public schools that face massive challenges in coping with the effects of poverty.

"Julia Irwin has thrown down the gauntlet not only to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd  but also to the Rees government.

"The Fowler MP is right. Both levels of government are guilty of private school  favouritism. Both are ignoring the needs of disadvantaged schools. Both engage in rhetoric that hides the reality of their failure to protect public education.

"It is time for Verity Firth to listen to Julia Irwin and act to restore some fairness to the state's education funding system," Dr Kaye said. 

For more information:	John Kaye 0407 195 455 

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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000