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In the Spotlight

By Sue Simpson

The Public Education Convention placed the spotlight firmly on the performance and prospects of our federal politicians.

	Sue Simpson

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What the Convention demonstrated beyond any doubt is this: if a Beazley Labor Government were elected, with The Greens and Democrats holding the balance of power in the Senate, then the tide to give public education the respect and funding it deserves, would begin to turn. Another term of Howard and Kemp would see continued undermining of public education and see Australia without any grand national vision for education.

How can we judge the performances of the political party representatives at the Convention? Firstly in terms of their values -- do they believe that our public schools and TAFE colleges are the building blocks of a tolerant, democratic society? What big picture visions do they have for national education initiatives? How do they propose to fund our public education system and any national visions they may have for public education?

Beazley gave an impressive performance that showed pride in the achievements of public education, delivered a passionate vision for Australia as "the Knowledge Nation" while giving first step commitments to reversing the excesses of the Howard/ Kemp funding policies.

It's a long time since we have heard a national political leader be passionate about the social contribution of our public education system. Our public schools, TAFE colleges and universities "have been the great nation-building institutions of post-war Australia". He saw "good public schools" as "the key to creating a fairer society" and thanked them for helping to create "an egalitarian, multicultural and tolerant society". While the cynics might well want to dismiss this as mere words and say action is the only touchstone of change, I would say that changing the language of the education debate is the foundation for changing policy. For the Coalition, the words "public" and "good" do not go together. As I said in my opening speech to the Convention: "A low value placed on public education as a democratic institution translates to low funding."

There can be no doubt that Kim Beazley has a passionate vision for the federal government making Australia a better educated nation. The national government would not be in retreat and in submission to private education providers but expansionist in vision. Teachers are the key profession for turning the vision into reality. Teachers are the creators, "the lynchpin of the Knowledge Nation" with the "other lynchpin" being "our public school system." His praise of teachers was fulsome and heartfelt, citing his father's work as Gough Whitlam's education minister. Flowing from his commitment to turning Australia into the Knowledge Nation, his belief "that we need to elevate the status of teachers to where it ought to be -- the chief of all professions", has a sincerity that could not come from a politician only awe struck by the financial markets.

In terms of supporting teachers in this task he restated modest start up announcements -- the 1000 teacher scholarships per year and paying the course costs plus $2000 for 10,000 to teachers to undertake further study. The teacher shortage and teacher professional development are on a Beazley national agenda.

In identifying particular Knowledge Nation priorities he listed improving "the quality of learning in the early years". It is refreshing to see early childhood on the Beazley agenda. Ross Cameron, the Government's representative at the Convention, just used Australia's low expenditure on early childhood education to explain away Australia's low level of education expenditure as a proportion of GDP.

Labor has had a difficult time establishing publicly its priorities if elected. At the Convention Kim Beazley declared that "creating a great public education system, and giving every child an opportunity to succeed at school, will be the highest priority of a Beazley Labor Government". Whether it is "the" priority or one of the trinity of priorities with health and taxation changes, promoting public education is certainly not a federal Coalition priority.

If Kim Beazley passes the test on values and having a grand national vision for education, his performance on funding certainly requires some further work. In responding to an interjector who wanted more funding detail, he retorted that he wanted to leave some things to the election campaign!

He committed to real increases in education funding from both the Commonwealth and state governments. Recognising the parlous physical state of some public schools he announced a very modest $50 million fund for capital works to be matched dollar for dollar by the states. In an attempt to increase investment in public schools and deal with the familiar attempts of both state and federal governments to blame one another for funding deficiencies, he announced policy for the creation of a "National Public Education Alliance". Under such an alliance both federal and state governments would enter an agreement to increase funding for public schools in real terms over the next decade. Presumably with the majority of states having Labor governments this would be easier than otherwise to negotiate. It stands in contrast to Kemp's attempts to use the ANTA TAFE funding agreement to freeze federal government funding at a time of enrolment increases.

Kim Beazley differentiated the ALP from the Coalition in restating an earlier commitment to take $105 million from the wealthiest private schools to fund the establishment of "Education Priority Zones" in communities suffering social and educational disadvantage. The Education Priority Zones is a new program for disadvantaged schools. It is the means for improving retention rates at school and participation rates at TAFE and universities. While it can be criticised as only 0.03 per cent of the Budget, it does make a move, however small, to addressing poverty rather than boosting privilege. More money will have to be found if this initiative is really to make a difference to all communities in need.

Kim Beazley gave a commitment that "Labor will reverse the trend which has seen a greater and greater proportion of Commonwealth schools funding going to private schools under the Howard Government". The previous ALP government was the first to see private schools getting the majority of federal schools funding. The Hawke/Keating legacy must also be confronted.

The contrast with the presentation of Ross Cameron, representing the Howard Government, was all too telling. Sending a backbencher to the most significant public dialogue between the public education community and the political leaders said it all. Ross Cameron, the Liberal MP for Parramatta, had nothing to say on the national role of public education and had no grand, inspiring vision for federal government involvement in public education other than the GST. Public education was a state responsibility and he produced graphs to throw the responsibility back to them.

A strong presence of The Greens' and the Democrats' forceful pro public sector policies in the Senate will be needed to keep the ALP on track to match its social commitment with increased funding. The Convention has produced a shift in the political debate. Congratulations to those of you who attended.

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  Issue 114 contents

»	Corporate IT Training in Labor's Sights
»	Ansett Battle Moves to Top End of Town
»	Ansett Families Jeer Howard The Saboteur
»	Ansett Workers Hit the Hustings
»	Email Bullies in Medibank Pay-Back
»	Unions to Campaign Against Workplace Racism
»	WorkCover's Adverts 'Devoid of Meaning'
»	Principals Warn Of Critical Shortage
»	Nurses Release Federal Policy Proposals
»	The Aged Care Monster
»	IT Workers Get Union Voice
»	New Partnership for Sustainable Energy Industry
»	One Hundred Strike Over Crane Accident
»	CEPU Official for Telstra Board
»	Qld Casual Workers Pay Increases
»	The Workers United, Need a New Slogan!
»	Activists Notebook
»	Vale: Frank Belan

»	The Soapbox
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Tool Shed

»	The President and the Terrorist
»	Confessions of a Grand Final Loser
»	A Plan for Australia
»	Sleeping on the Job

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