Monday, 15 May 2017

One hundred and fifty eight schools in Gippsland will suffer from harsh cuts thanks to Malcolm Turnbull’s Commonwealth Budget 2017/18.

A Department of Education and Training analysis of Turnbull’s shameful decision to walk away from the Gonski agreement shows Victorian schools will be $630 million worse off under the new funding model.

When broken down school by school we know that One hundred and fifty eight Gippsland will have to make do with eight to nine million dollars less.

This funding isn’t just an abstract figure on a page – it’s extra teachers in the classroom, literacy support for those kids falling behind, numeracy experts, psychologists, speech pathologists. This funding is an investment in the future of children in Gippsland

The Andrews Labor Government fixed the black hole left by the previous Liberal Government and has met its obligations under the Gonski Agreement in the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 school years.

Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal Party are short-changing Victorian students by walking away from Gonski and families in Gippsland will lose out.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing:

“Victoria is meeting its Gonski obligations but Malcolm Turnbull is leaving Victorian schools $630 million worse off – yet another broken promise.”

“Families in Gippsland deserve better than a government that hacks away at school funding. Students at Gippsland schools will be the ones to lose out from Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts.”