[Greens-Media] State budget: A let down for education - Pennicuik

[Amanda.Sharp at parliament.vic.gov.au]

Media Release – 10 May 2013

State budget - a let down for education
 
The state budget is a big let down for everyone who cares about education, 
Victorian Greens Education spokesperson, Sue Pennicuik has said today.

"Capital funding for new schools at Wyndham Vale South, Melton North West, 
Doreen, Truganina and also land for the much needed new primary school in 
South Melbourne is welcome, particularly by those communities, but there 
is estimated to be around twenty urgently needed new schools and at least 
as many major rebuilds also urgently needed," Ms Pennicuik said.
 
"In addition, the $51.5m for 2013/14 is only a fraction of the $585m that 
it is needed for school repairs, identified by the 2005/06 school repairs 
audit. At this rate, without any new work, it will take a decade to 
complete the backlog, let alone the new schools and refurbishments that 
are and will be needed.
 
"Recurrent school funding includes $15.7m over two years for 'lifting 
school performance', but little is known as yet of details. What does it 
mean?
 
"The budget includes $20.6m in 'support for vulnerable students', but I 
suspect this is a replacement for the SFYS program that was scrapped by 
the government a few months ago, despite the pleas of local councils to 
keep it going, so it's not new or extra support for vulnerable students," 
Ms Pennicuik said.
 
"Funding for support services shows a 2.1% decrease, probably reflecting 
changes to EMA and the conveyance allowance. You'd think that for the 
small amount 'saved', the government would have reinstated these much 
valued programs. The same can be said for the $3-4m the government 'saved' 
by cutting VCAL coordination, which has meant schools have had to cut 
other programs if they want to continue VCAL.
 
"Support for students with disabilities ($38m over two years) looks 
promising, but the budget papers note this as due to the increase in 
demand, i.e., not for improved programs," Ms Pennicuik said. "There is 
still a shortfall in places. The transport program for students with 
disabilities has received a 10.7% increase but again only for two years.
 
"Funding for early childhood shows a small growth, but it is unlikely that 
this will even keep up with existing shortfalls," Ms Pennicuik said.
 
The assault on TAFE continues. 
 
"The government has made much fanfare of the $200m funding 'restoration', 
but half of it appears to be for capital works, not training places. The 
other half is for 'structural reforms and business transformation' - code 
for becoming more like private providers and less like our public TAFE 
system that this government seems determined to destroy. 
 
"None of this money is going into restoring lost courses or bringing back 
lost staff," Ms Pennicuik said. "It could well be used to sell off 
publicly owned assets, built up over decades with tax payers' money.

"While the government is pouring another $131 million into building 
prisons and more prison beds (on top of $819 million last year), education 
funding continues to fall well below what is needed.

"Lastly, the government is silent on whether or not it will commit to the 
Gonski funding model," Ms Pennicuik said.

For further comment: Sue Pennicuik – 0409 055 875


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Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 
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