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Can Julia Gillard be believed on school funding?

Kevin Donnelly

by Kevin Donnelly

06 Aug 05:30am

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Filed under: Education, Election 2010, Public Education, School Funding, Schools

50 comments

On face value, Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s decision to extend the current non-government school funding model for an additional year looks like a plus for Catholic and independent schools. 

Building the education revolution…but where?

The socioeconomic status (SES) model is due to expire at the end of 2012 and maintaining it for one more year will give some satisfaction to non-government school parents.

In fact, Gillard’s decision on school funding is just another example of desperation politics and of a government lacking conviction.  It’s apparent that the Prime Minister will do anything to win the election and that she is only concerned with short-term political gain.

The ALP government is trying to bury the school funding issue until after the August 21 election and to present itself as a friend to Catholic and independent schools.  It’s understandable why.

Mark Latham’s hit list of wealthy non-government schools taken to the 2004 election, along with the infamous handshake with John Howard, have gone down in political folklore as electoral suicide.

The reality is that over 30% of primary school students now go to non-government schools, with the figure rising to over 40% at the secondary level.  Education is a real BBQ stopper, especially in marginal seats where parents, at great expense, are voting with their feet and choosing the non-government school alternative.

Non-government school parents that pay taxes for a system they do not use, in addition to schools fees, expect some level of government support and since Robert Menzies introduced state aid, the history of Australian elections is one where parties that support school choice win votes.

The ALP leadership was so worried about the issue leading into the 2007 that Kevin Rudd as leader of the opposition guaranteed, if elected, that his government would maintain the Howard inspired socioeconomic funding model and assured Catholic and independent schools that funding would be maintained in real terms.

When Minister for Education, Julia Gillard also adopted a pragmatic approach to funding, arguing, “the Rudd Government has given a set of guarantees to the non-government schools… Those guarantees are that we would maintain the SES model, we would maintain the status of funding maintained and funding guaranteed.  We’d maintain the way in which the Catholic system is funded and we would maintain indexation arrangements”.

On taking over from Gillard as Minister for Education, Simon Crean, repeated assurances that all would be well and implied that non-government school parents could safely vote for the ALP when he stated, “There is no schools hit list for those who want to run a scare campaign… No school will be worse off.  Not a dollar will be taken away”.

Reality check.  In addition to Prime Minister Gillard simply trying to bury the issue, if the ALP is re-elected there is every chance that Catholic and independent schools will lose funding when the new model is introduced post 2013.

While Julia Gillard, when Minister for Education and now as Prime Minister, portrays herself as a strong advocate of school choice her support cannot be relied upon.  Not only does she refuse to guarantee that any new model will maintain funding in real terms, she is also on the record as admitting support for the current funding model, now set to expire at the end of 2013, is only temporary.

In a March 2008 interview, on being asked whether an ALP government would support the SES model on an on-going basis, the then Minister for Education, replied, “No, no, our commitment Tony was very, very clear.  It is only for the next schools funding quadrennium (2009-2012), for the next four yearly period”. 

In a recent interview, reported in The Australian July 31, the recently appointed Commonwealth Minister for Education Simon Crean also refused to guarantee that funding to non-government schools will be indexed on an annual basis and that funding to Catholic and independent schools will keep pace with government school costs.

Extending the SES model for an additional year is just another example of political spin and crisis management.  While Gillard’s decision makes her government appear more voter friendly to non-government school parents, it does nothing to guarantee that any future ALP government will be committed to properly resourcing Catholic and independent schools.

Doubts about the ALP’s back-flip on funding are underlined by Labor’s preference deal with the Greens and the fact that there is a real chance that the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate after the election.

The Greens’ policy includes adopting a hit-list of schools, reducing government funding by the amount schools raise locally and removing the link between the amount non-government schools receive and what governments provide to state schools.

Unlike both the Greens and the ALP government, the Abbott-led opposition has promised, if elected, to endorse the SES model and to ensure that Catholic and independent schools are properly resourced.

- Kevin Donnelly is Director of Education Standards Institute and author of Australia’s Education Revolution: How Kevin Rudd Won and Lost the Education Wars (Connor Court Publishing).

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50 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Ed Ukate says:

      05:50am | 06/08/10

      My old school motto was “Let them be known by their deeds” (in Latin of course).  Julia’s past track record of funding private schools is a lot better that Abbott’s record of funding hospitals.  There is a question of credibility here and voters will see through this scare tactic.
      Catholic schools got much better value for money out of the recent increased spending on schools than NSW public schools but that is down to an incompetent state government.

      Reply

    • Wayne says:

      12:23pm | 06/08/10

      And who set up that funding Ed?  The Liberals did, and they were hammered by Labor for it.  Then when Labor gains power, what don’t they do?  They don’t cut funding to private schools.  Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.  I recall their massive rejection of the GST when it was announced, but now that they are power, no action there either.  Is it because they have to admit that they were good ideas after all?

    • Jennifer Nash says:

      06:56am | 06/08/10

      Kevin Donnelly is right, Prime Minister Gillard, who has ignored me and my open letter to her, will do anything to win the election and is only concerned with short-term political gain.  I believe she lacks credibility, compassion and is not governing in the national interest. 

      She has refused to acknowledge us, just like Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.  I also raised the issue of judicial corruption against an unrepresented bullied schoolboy with Attorney General, Cameron Dick at the Right to Feel Safe forum, where he promised me, he would now finally look into my complaint, but has since continued to be incommunicado.  Brisbane Times showed me raising the issue in this video clip http://bit.ly/ayUtWY and also published my related comment no. 13 in full.  The Courier Mail reported I was standing silently next to Cameron Dick and was opposing bullying.  You be the judge. 

      Another video clip of forum news footage http://vimeo.com/10422613 shows how Attorney General Cameron Dick flees when I again raised the issue of judicial abuse and judicial corruption with him in front of the media after the forum. “I am just going to get my jacket” he said as he disappeared and never returned.  Photo no. 2 http://www.4bc.com.au/feelsafephotos  shows me speaking to him.

      I am grateful to the Independent Member for Kingaroy for sponsoring my e-petition for an independent investigation into unlawful editing of courtroom audio tapes and transcripts http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/EPetitions_QLD/ClosedEPetition.aspx?PetNum=1482&lIndex;=-1
      because our elected Member of Parliament, John Mickel, the Speaker of Parliament is refusing to assist us in any way, even though we have been protesting outside his electorate office for the past 10 weeks as reported in the Jimboomba Times on 16 June.

      Further details: 

      John Mickel concealing corruption http://indymedia.org.au/2010/07/26/john-mickel-concealing-corruption

      Where are the paid government bloggers?  They can’t be too far away.  Huh?

      Reply

    • Jolanda says:

      08:14am | 06/08/10

      Corruption in Education is rampant.  Corruption in our Government is part of the process.  I have made formal allegations of systematic bullying, victimisation, vilification, oppression, fraud, manipulation of state records including test results and school applications and child psychological abuse against Education staff (adults) spanning many years and it has been covered up at every level by a process that ensures that complaints are given to the person who is being complained about to do what they desire and a Legal and Investigatory system that is only interested in protecting the reputation of the Government.  This put children at risk of harm.

      The Labor Government is corrupt to the core.  When I wrote to Julia Gillard my letter was sent to the person about whom I complained for them to deal with and she just filed it away.  There is no such thing as procedural fairness and natural justice.    If our Government is failing in its duty of care to the children then what good are they?

      Education – Keeping them Honest
      http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/

    • BobM says:

      08:36am | 06/08/10

      Jennifer and Jolanda - you need to contact Alan Jones and get this out in the open. Nothing like a bit of bad publicity to get something done.

    • Jolanda says:

      09:00am | 06/08/10

      BobM.  Alan Jones isn’t interested.  I have tried the media, they are not interested.  Not too many people care about the children and in particular in our case as these children are children who are seen by many as already having more than their fair share and needing to be knocked down a notch or two.

      Too many people in media have attitudes and mothers are easily defamed as there is a lack of respect generally.  Those who stand up for their children are often treated with disdain.  If you don’t stand up for your children you are criticized, if you do stand up you are criticized.
       
      I got the shock of my life with what happened to us as I thought the system would do the right thing and I thought the community would be outraged but the system just closed ranks and the people turned their back and didn’t care.  Bullying is rampant because people turn their back and ostracize those who are targeted.  I appreciate that many didn’t want to be seen as involved because they feared that they would lose contacts/friends in high places and/or also be targeted if they were seen to be with us but these were children and adults should have stood up and protected them. 

      I was mocked and presented as having been let out for the ‘full moon’ when I rang a radio station when I had received under FOI a Document Headed “Destruction of Test Booklets and answer sheets”.  This document showed that the DET organised to change the record keeping requirements so that they could destroy documents.  Documents that had been requested to be produced under FOI and that were documents that should be retained under the Record Keeping Act that they were under.  The radio station presented me as a Looney.  I made a formal complaint - nothing was done.

      Nobody really cares unless it happens to them.  Child protection is a farce in this Country and there is no respect and that is why so many children are suffering.

      When the legal system, the media and the public doesn’t protect children then we are really going backwards.

      It is comforting to read you post and know that some people do try to help.

    • T.Chong says:

      09:14am | 06/08/10

      Regardless of your message, the gathering and the crowd dynamic looked almost identical to a Fox News staged Tea Baggers convention.
      Do you really believe that an angry confrontation staged for the cameras is going to help?

    • Jolanda says:

      10:12am | 06/08/10

      See what mean?  T. Chong opens the post with “Regardless of the Message”  when it is the message that is the most important thing.  That a parent resorts to extreme measures is not because they are bored and have nothing to do in their life.  It is because they are given no other choice by a system that does not give rights or protection to it’s own citizens against injustices inflicted upon them by public servants and those employed by our Government.

    • T.Chong says:

      10:50am | 06/08/10

      Jolanda , its regardless of what i think you are right or wrong.
      Did you read the comments attatched to your link. ?
      The meeting and the aggro was likened to “white trailer trash” etc. the comments are there for you to read, so , thats why I say your message failed, and negs ensured.
      How would the shouting and anger help. ?
      Also have you exhausted all legal avenues ?
      Findings not to your liking dont always mean high level conspiracy and corruption.
      Sometimes even the most staunchest and most sincerely held belief doesnt mean the claims can be substantiated.
      Those easily maligned public servants and judiciary might have a differnt POV to yours.
      But thts what the legal process for.

    • Jolanda says:

      12:09pm | 06/08/10

      It is not about POV’s.  It is about following due process.  The system is under no obligation to follow due process or to abide by Policies or Rules.  So nobody in Government can be believed, no matter what they say, because they can interpret the rules to suit whatever outcome they want to achieve and even change their mind.

      When I asked under FOI for the report of the investigation that the DET said in submissions had cleared officers of misconduct none could be provided.  The Administrative Decisions Tribunal saying that they didn’t have the jurisdiction to deal with the matters that we brought up.  When I provided ample evidence by way of emails and file notes received under FOI from the DET that said that the matter had not been investigated despite the Minister for Education at the time ordering an investigation nobody wanted to know about the fact that the DET had lied and said that an investigation had taken place when it hadn’t and had failed to protect children and worse still continued the harm.

      Policy and Procedure say that serious allegations against Government Employees and in particular if they involve children have to be formerly investigated.  However there is no legal avenue to hold public servants or Government employees to account if they don’t.  Of course allegations cannot be substantiated if no investigation takes place.

      What I do not understand is why some people automatically protect the Government.  Surely protecting children should be the initial reaction.  Most people aggrieved by the Government just want to be treated fairly and provided with independent and impartial persons to properly investigate their allegations and complaints.  One would think that this would be a basic human right.

    • Davido says:

      07:08am | 06/08/10

      It is about time someone put a stop to the theft of public money by the private education system. The gravy train for the elite must end.

      I hate the thought that my hard earned tax dollars are subsidizing the religious nutters and pedophiles in our society.

      It is also time for religions and charities to start paying taxes.

      Reply

    • Diamantina Dick says:

      08:09am | 06/08/10

      I hate to interrupt your irrational ideological diatribe with facts but the private eduction system actually subsidises the public system. Bone up.

    • Davido says:

      09:28am | 06/08/10

      Actually it does not. Get an economics degree before you make uneducated comments about things you no nothing about.

    • Denis Q says:

      10:29am | 06/08/10

      Poor old Jolanda is at it again.  Does this woman ( I presume) look uinder her bed every night. 
      Conspiracy, corruption, control everywhere!!

      Hanrahan would be regarded as an optimist compared to this person.

      What will she do when the kids have grown up and left home?

    • Jolanda says:

      10:50am | 06/08/10

      @Davido when the system is corrupted and the process denies innocent people procedural fairness and natural justice then it puts children at risk of harm. 

      I will fight until the day I die or until things change (whichever comes first)  for the right of the general public to have access to a fair and independant system of dealing with complaints against public servants and members of the Government.

      Make fun of me if you like, but I believe that this cause is worth fighting for.  Our children deserve protection.  Far too many children are being bullied and abused whilst our Government looks on and protects the abusers.

    • Tim says:

      11:20am | 06/08/10

      Davido,
      Pot, Kettle?

    • Jolanda says:

      11:56am | 06/08/10

      Sorry Davido I meant to say Dennis Q.

    • Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

      03:21pm | 06/08/10

      Sorry Davido, I think you are Dumbo, if the kids in the private system were to leave & go public the system would collapse. It has already happened with health. When Bozo hawke established Medicare, people left private health & overloaded the public hospital system

    • Economist says:

      04:10pm | 06/08/10

      Robert Smissen actually no he’s not a Dumbo and I’ll tell you why. There are effectively two groups in the non-government sector from a funding point of view. The first is a group who would pay and can afford private education without a subsidy. The second is a group using private education because of the subsidy.
      From a purely economic perspective there are savings associated with funding the second group and not the first. Yet both groups receive the subsidy. You are making the false assumption that without the subsidy everyone would return to the public system. This is wrong. Hence comments by KD that the private sector saves the public purse $7B is an exaggeration. There may be some savings, but as I’ve previously demonstrated, I believe that it actually costs the government more (see my arguments here http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/smashing-the-myths-about-private-school-funding/ )
      However the counter argument, which is perfectly legitimate to make is, that we (private education recipients) pay taxes to, so we’re entitled to some subsidy.
      But the point is from an economic perspective, Davido is correct.

    • Davido says:

      09:04pm | 06/08/10

      Thanks Economist… it is about time we heard more from those who can apply some intellectual rigor to a debate.

      We have two issues that should be resolved: the inefficient allocation of resources and the cost to society of educating students.

      At the end of the day there are two facts that cannot be ignored:

      1. the total cost to society of a privately educated student is greater than that of a public student; and
      2. government taxes subsidize private schools. For those ignorant people who cannot believe this - ask your local private school to refuse government funding and then see how much the fees are next year.

      It is time to remove the pork barrel subsidies and let the market decide where the boundary between public and private schools exists. How hypocritical it is of the right wing to be so pro-market in everything - EXCEPT where it can benefit them… like private schools.

      The truth is, Howard targeted the religious vote through a massive program of channeling the public dollar into the hands of various religions with the Catholic church reaping the biggest windfall.

      It is a door through which Rudd rushed through wholeheartedly in his pursuit of the same votes.

      As a country that regularly criticizes countries that fail to separate the state from religion it is depressing to see how many sheep trot out the same ignorant falsehoods, year after year.

    • Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

      11:36pm | 06/08/10

      Economist, if that is what you really are, that is a fairly bald statement, I didn’t say or even imply that without the subsidy that ALL would return to the public sector, but even a Chardonnay Socialist like yourself could see that a large proportion would. If the public system is supposidly so good how come so many public school teachers send their own kidsprivate? ? ?

    • TimB says:

      07:51am | 06/08/10

      Actually I have to admit I can’t see why private schools should be government funded at all. Isn’t the whole point of private schools the fact that they take in thousands of dollars in fees from parents to provide their services? Why SHOULD taxpayers have to subsidse that?

      As for the argument that all tax payers pay for public schools even if they use the private ones….shut down that argument by making private school fees tax deductible.

      It’s the fairest way of doing things IMO. Public schools are funded by the governnment. Private schools funded by those who want to use them. A deduction on taxes to make up for the fact that public facilities aren’t being used.

      Reply

    • Jolanda says:

      09:50am | 06/08/10

      @TimB - That might be alright if you only have one kid.  But what happens if you have 4 and the Public System is incapable and unwilling to cater for your children or protect them.  How can a parent pay the fees of 4 children up front? 

      Our children had to suffer in the Public School system until we could earn enough money to move them to the Catholic system, one by one as we could manage it they moved over.  We wouldn’t have been able to do that if we had to pay large amounts of money up front and then wait to claim it back.

      I say vouchers are the way to go.

      Education – Keeping them Honest
      http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/

    • T.Chong says:

      11:03am | 06/08/10

      Your children had to “suffer” in the public system- oh for a gods sake give it a rest!
      The vast majority of Ozzies are public schooled!.
      Nothing more rank than elitism.

    • iansand says:

      12:02pm | 06/08/10

      TimB - I did a back of the envelope calculation of tax deductibility of fees against continuing subsidy.  It would be pretty much line ball in my case - one child at a top tier Brisbane private school.

      Brisbane fees are cheaper than Sydney.  If she was at an equivalent Sydney school tax deductibility would put me ahead.  If she was at a Catholic school or equivalent level of fees tax deductibility would put me behind.

    • Kevin Donnelly says:

      12:53pm | 06/08/10

      The fact is that the ‘vast majority’ of students are no longer taught in government schools.  Over 30% of primary and 40% of secondary students are now in non-government schools.  No-government school enrolments are trending up, while government school enrolments have flat lined.

    • Economist says:

      01:23pm | 06/08/10

      Kevin Can’t argue with that stat. The issue should then become why is this occuring? Where is the public policy failure? providing more money to the private sector does not address the problem.

    • Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

      03:28pm | 06/08/10

      T. Chong, ALL the school teachers that I know that work in the public system, send their kids to private schools

    • Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

      11:39pm | 06/08/10

      Very easy TimB, the parents pay taxes too, probably a lot more than the whiners in this blog, so why not? ?

    • TrueOz says:

      08:33am | 06/08/10

      Joolya can’t be believed on anything.

      Reply

    • Jennifer Nash says:

      09:01am | 06/08/10

      @BobM says: 08:36am | 06/08/10 - easier said than done!  But thanks for your comment, which is appreciated Bob.  The mainstream media is unfortunately NOT interested.  I have detailed (link under) how my complaint on suppression of pertinent fact, misrepresentation and inaccurate reporting by the Courier Mail was dismissed by the Australian Press Council, another Australian complaint remedy, which just does not work.  We urgently need an ethics commission just like Sir Max Bingham QC and Professor Jeff Malpas urged the Rudd government in 2008.

      Australian Press Council fails judicial corruption and school bullying victim   http://indymedia.org.au/2010/07/31/australian-press-council-fails-judicial-corruption-and-school-bullying-victim

      Reply

    • Lasa Bailey says:

      09:37am | 06/08/10

      Don’t her never will, she lied about the funding, she only gave part of it and then only what was needed to shut up the public, I know of heaps of kids who never got one but desperately needed one

      Reply

    • JJ says:

      10:09am | 06/08/10

      That’s decided my vote!! Why change something that’s saving the Government money? If all students returned to the Public system it would collapse!! Stop being so shortsighted!

      Reply

    • Peter says:

      11:25am | 06/08/10

      JJ,
      Exactly.
      I wonder if the morons who say the Government shouldn’t fund private schools realise that this would lead to an influx of students back to the public system which we are told is already stretched.
      As private school students receive only a third of the Government funding that public school students receive obviously the Government spending on eductation would increase dramatically. Would they be happy to pay more tax to cover this?

    • Jennifer Nash says:

      11:31am | 06/08/10

      @Jolanda, you are spot on!  Australia does NOT care about its children!  And the attitudes you have experienced Jolanda, are pretty much what we have experienced too. 

      Just to show the disbelievers that Australia is not the patriotic, civic, democratic and fair go country it is always made out to be, here is a little quote, which still applies.  More so today, because crime is worse, overdevelopment and overpopulation is worse, government is worse and systemic corruption is seriously tearing at the social fabric of our society.

      From of the book The Lucky Country (1964) by Donald Horne: page 24-25

      “Australian society has a great degree of public tolerance. People don’t care about what goes on unless it directly confronts or interferes with them. This is just about as high a degree of public tolerance as one can expect from a community: not to go out of one’s way to interfere with others. Tell an Australian about something nasty that happening in another suburb, or another street, and he may express a harsh opinion about it and then conclude that it takes all sorts to make a world. He doesn’t start a reform movement. It’s no business of his. When it comes to action, Australians usually don’t care. Almost all act of interference in any field of Australian life are inspired by the puritans and activated at the top. There are no significant mass movement fanaticisms. It is only when a difference stares them in the face that ordinary Australians become truculent, and then only in a personal way”.

      Reply

    • Returned Man says:

      11:33am | 06/08/10

      I would love to see all students returning to a well-funded, well-run public system, if only to see the looks on the faces of the Apocalyptists who declare so unequivocally that it would collapse. Wise up, guys - the proportion of students in public schools in many OTHER countries is so much greater and there is no collapse, no evidence of the sorts of ridiculous arguments (mostly circulating around Kevin Donnelly, who is a circulator of spurious arguments himself) that we so often read about in this country.

      I am proud to be (a tax-paying) Australian but I find this aspect of our culture really shameful.

      Reply

    • Kevin Donnelly says:

      12:56pm | 06/08/10

      Ludger Woessmann’s research for the OECD suggests that one of the characteristics of stronger performing education systems is the strong, viable and well resourced non-government school sector.

    • Economist says:

      01:21pm | 06/08/10

      Kevin, I think the key words in your statement are “well resourced”. The fact is state governments as with everything else they do are failing to deliver decent public education reforms. Hence the need for the Fed to give them 30% of their education budget.

    • Jennifer Nash says:

      11:52am | 06/08/10

      @T.Chong says:  Why does it offend you if Jolanda and I fight for justice for our children and want to hold government to account?  I have detailed the judicial abuse and the judicial corruption we experienced in Queensland courts more than once.  Yet the government and those concerned have always refused to acknowledge my complaint. 

      They prefer to pretend we do not even exist because they do not want to draw attention to our documented and corroborated (by retired journalists) judicial corruption claims at all cost.  And that long silence only further speaks to our credibility.  My citizen journalist articles have been published by the Wall Street Journal Online, USA Today and many others on several occasions because they are true!

      You don’t need to defend the government they can very well defend themselves, but obviously don’t want to do that because that would draw attention to our judicial corruption complaint.  I expect when the government’s response to my e-petition comes back in September, our judicial corruption allegations will again be swept under the carpet under a pretext.  And the Opposition will be silent as usual.

      Reply

    • Tim says:

      12:37pm | 06/08/10

      Because sometimes when everyone seems to be against you and no-one believes you there are simple reasons why.
      Why don’t you even consider the most logical reason?

      No of course not, it’s all a conspiracy and everyone else is corrupt right?

    • Against the Man says:

      11:56am | 06/08/10

      Gillard has made a mess of it all, no wonder she wants to ‘move forward’. Running away from the scene of the accident maybe?

      Reply

    • Kevin Donnelly says:

      01:21pm | 06/08/10

      Gillard’s about face on school funding (remember, though, only by maintaining the current system for one more year) is political expediency at its worst. Also remember, if re-elected, the ALP government with the help of the Greens will take funds away from non-government schools and undermine their autonomy.  The aim is to integrate non-government schools into the government system and to control all schools from head office.

      Reply

    • Returned Man says:

      03:41pm | 06/08/10

      “The aim is to integrate non-government schools into the government system and to control all schools from head office.”

      And your EVIDENCE for this is ...?

      Please, Kevin, enough of your conspiracy theories. Makes you sound like a Tea Bagger.

    • Jennifer Nash says:

      03:35pm | 06/08/10

      @Tim - the silence speaks for itself.  If our claim were untrue, what is stopping the government from even acknowledging us and publicly responding to our allegations?  And consider this my documented allegations are corroborated by the sworn statutory declarations of retired journalists, who have confirmed my allegations.  And the Independent MP, who sponsored my e-petition, did NOT do so without seeing my evidence.  It is appalling I had to turn to an Independent MP, who lives hundreds of kilometres away, because my local Labor MP, John Mickel, the Speaker of Parliament has repeatedly failed in his duty of care and is breaching his oath of office to represent his constituents, the people of Logan.  But you cannot see that of course.

      And who are you to say no one believes me?  Many people believe me. 
      Are you paid to defend the government against the indefensible?

      Reply

    • Tim says:

      04:17pm | 06/08/10

      “Are you paid to defend the government against the indefensible?”

      Haha, you’re joking right?

      Have you heard of the term paranoid delusional?

      Good luck in your quest Jennifer, keep fighting the power.

    • iansand says:

      04:17pm | 06/08/10

      Maybe you have bored them to incoherence.

    • Holly says:

      04:03pm | 06/08/10

      “Can Julia be believed on school funding?”  Well probably just as much as the Tony can be believed on the Parental Paid Leave policy.  Coalition candidates are in revolt apparently about and openly saying on the hustings that it will never be presented to the house in its current form.  Apparently their stay at home and lower paid constituents are not happy with the inequitable treatment of stay at home mothers and lower paid workers.  Not exactly unexpected since there is no means test on fathers income.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      06:50pm | 06/08/10

      It appears that the BER ‘rorts’ were another fabrication of the LIberal Party.  I’d like to be able to run projects with only 6% waste!

      Reply

    • Returned Man says:

      09:43am | 09/08/10

      Kevin, your sums are looking dodgier and dodgier. From http://www.adogs.info:

      “But the political and financial realities are quite different from this theoretical assumption. In 2006, for example, some 200,000 additional students were enrolled in non-government schools compared with the 1996 level. Had these 200,000 students been accommodated instead in public schools over this decade, this would have required additional public funding of around $2 billion. Over that same period, however, the real increase in public funding for these same students, in the non-government sector, was more than $3 billion, mostly provided by the Commonwealth. In other words, governments funded the additional non-government school students by $1 billion more than would have been required for the equivalent number of students in fully publicly funded government schools.”

      Not only does it not save money ... it COSTS money! It is MORE expensive to finance the private school sector than to fund the public sector. Wake up, everyone - Dr Donnelly’s sums have little to do with reality and everything to do with ideology.

      And what’s the bet you don’t publish this comment, moderators - along with the other difficult comments I’ve tried to post. Eh?

      Reply

    • acai diet drink says:

      07:48pm | 01/12/10

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      Reply
 
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