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Wednesday May 22, 2013

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Backlash over education cuts

Posted by: 2UE | 12 September, 2012 - 7:58 AM
Push for classes on multiculturalism in our schools

GIVE US YOUR VIEW: A huge backlash is building against the State Government's $1.7billion cuts to Education funding and staffing. Leave Barry O'Farrell your views on cuts to education by blogging here.

 


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Premier Barry O'Farrell was telling us how much he agreed with the Gonski Report last week which advised pouring billions of dollars into education. Stuart Bocking says now suddenly, we are seeing money ripped out of our schools in NSW.

 

 

Federal Education Minister Peter Garrett has demanded a meeting with his NSW counterpart to discuss the State Government's education cuts.

$1.7 billion will be taken from independent and public schools and TAFEs over the next four years, while 1,800 jobs will go.

Peter Garrett tells Stuart Bocking he hopes he can convince the O'Farrell government to reconsider the cuts. He says cuts to school funding in NSW reflect a coalition pattern being repeated at a federal level.

 

Stuart Bocking speaks with 2UE State Politics Reporter Derek Peterson who attended the press conference by Barry O’Farrell who has told the media the level of anger about cuts to the education system is not a surprise.

Teachers and parents are launching a campaign against the decision to cut one-point-seven billion dollars from public, Catholic and independent schools, over the next four years.

The Premier is standing by the cuts, describing them as tough but fair.

 

New South Wales teachers aren't ruling-out strike action to try to stop the State Government slashing hundreds of jobs and education funding.

Gary Zadkovich from the Teachers Federation says they'll fight to stop the changes going ahead.

 

Premier Barry O'Farrell has dismissed the threat of strike action by teachers as he defends one-point-seven billion dollars in cuts to education funding.

Teachers will meet next week to discuss possible industrial action. Premier Barry O'Farrell has told Ian 'Dicko' Dickson he won't be swayed.

 

Paul Murray speaks with Education Minister Adrian Piccoli who reveals the State Government has offered to re-consider its education funding cuts, if it gets more money from Canberra.

 

There are reports Coalition MPs have been angry at moves to slash 18-hundred jobs, freeze funding for independent schools and increase TAFE fees in a bid to save one-point-seven billion dollars.

The State Opposition has called on parents and teachers to mount a grass roots campaign to stop the Governments cuts to education funding.

Opposition Leader John Robertson tells Paul Murray the cuts can't be justified and is urging parents to tell the premier how angry they are.

You can do so by blogging below:

 

Job cuts across education services

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli on a student report card of teachers

Paul Murray reveals the Government has announced TAFE fees will rise by almost 10% while funding for independent schools will be capped for 4 years. 1,800 jobs will go including 800 TAFE positions.

Blog comments Your Say

  • @Kenny, no Abbott is not bad because he hates abortion - lots of people do, and I do too. People hate Abbott because he LIES and that is why they call him Phoney Tony.

    Franco Saturday 15 September, 2012 - 10:20 PM

  • I am so frustrated that every time we vote Liberal and hope they'd deliver some good results they leave us disappointed. This time they got a mandate for big changes, and all they can come up with is cuts, cuts, and cuts. And their cuts always start with Education and then goes on to Jobs, I can't understand why? I can only conclude that it is an ideological obsession with them. As is the obsession that big business is the panacea for all problems.

    Surely they would have known they were going to form government and have some good plans ready for the state. I am extremely disappointed once again.

    Jonathan Friday 14 September, 2012 - 2:56 PM

  • @Peter; yeah Juliar is backing chinese jobs and illegal boats too, you keep on voting Labor son. Good family man "bully boy pinup boy abbott" evidently is a bad man because he hates Abortion and homosexual conduct and he rightly thinks global warming is all crap.

    Kenny Thursday 13 September, 2012 - 7:13 PM

  • The previous NSW Labor government was spending money recklessly knowing full well that they would not win the last election and the enormous debt would be passed onto the present state government to deal with.

    Too many schools are overstaffed with ancillary staff. For example,I know of a high school where they have far too many staff members "employed" in the library.They seem to be always sitting around chatting and drinking cups of coffee. All money spent on eucation should be wisely used. Every dollar should be accounted for.
    A bit of belt tightening might result in more efficient non-teaching staff outcomes for starters.
    Go Bazza!

    Norm Thursday 13 September, 2012 - 2:08 PM

  • Yeah lets blame Gillard for this as well,why stop there let's blame here for Sept 11, WW1 and 2 and The Port Arthhur Massacre.

    Peter Thursday 13 September, 2012 - 12:05 PM

  • Education has always been the sacred cow, but money doesn't grow on trees and if Education is quarantined who or what must take its place?
    Bureaucracies must also make sacrifices for the overall good. Why one and not the other?

    Peter Thursday 13 September, 2012 - 9:07 AM

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