[Greens-Media] Pyne’s elitist education u-turn deserts struggling students

[Forsyth, Danielle (Sen P. Wright)]

Senator Penny Wright
MEDIA RELEASE
29 November 2013
Pyne’s elitist education u-turn deserts struggling students



Hundreds of thousands of Australian students will continue to struggle at school if the Coalition refuses to honor funding promises to Australian public schools, says Australian Greens spokesperson for Schools Senator Penny Wright.

Senator Wright said after days of deliberate deceit by Education Minister Christopher Pyne, a meeting of education ministers today had revealed Federal Government’s education cuts would only affect public schools.

“This government has finally revealed their true education agenda – to give even more to those who already have more, and take from those who can least afford it,” Senator Wright said.

“This is an utter betrayal of the public and our students to so completely abandon the principles of the Gonski review, which was about finally ending the huge education gaps between the most and least privileged children.

“Whether it is kids from the country, kids with disabilities or kids with tough family circumstances, the students who need extra help overwhelmingly attend public schools.

“If public schools lose out, thousands and thousands of these kids suffer. The Coalition’s plan is elitist and shameful in the extreme.

“State education ministers said today’s meeting was heated – I can only imagine how inflamed it would have been if the room had been filled with parents from around the country because a more complete duplicity is difficult to imagine.

“The Australian Greens will continue to stand up for schools and students all around this country and we are committed to blocking the Coalition’s efforts to desert Australia’s most needy children.”

Media contact: Danielle Forsyth 0417 173 508