Brad Hazzard MP
Shadow Minister for School Education, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
State Labor’s promise on school maintenance is like rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic – and schools will still sink under the maintenance backlog.
“This is just a desperate attempt by a Premier who knows NSW public schools are sinking under the maintenance backlog,” Shadow Minister for School Education, Brad Hazzard said today.
“For 11 years of Labor schools have suffered peeling paint, crumbling walls, broken windows, asbestos filled heaters and pleas for maintenance falling on deaf ears.”
“The maintenance backlog in our schools has been steadily growing and is now at $116 million.”
3 comments:
“In his 2005 report to Parliament, the Auditor General said, ‘…trends over the last three years indicate that the Department’s maintenance plans are still not being achieved, with maintenance backlogs remaining virtually constant…’[*1].”
“The report also highlighted how Labor underspent its maintenance budget by $28.2 million in 2004-05 while schools were pleading for help.”
“Premier Iemma’s belated promise over four years is equivalent to trying to plug the holes in the Titanic – it won’t stop the inevitable further deterioration of Government schools.”
“Labor should put the $120 million into extra maintenance before the March 2007 election – anything less is just election spin.”
“The Liberal/Nationals calls on the State Labor Government to get serious about NSW public schools and ensure teachers and students don’t have to continue working in second rate conditions.”
*1 NSW Auditor General’s Report to Parliament Volume 4, page 27
Brad Hazzard MP
Shadow Minister for School Education, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
The State Labor Government should not be encouraging teachers to strike on Thursday and should ensure teachers remain teaching NSW students.
“The Premier and Minister for Education bear personal responsibility for taking teachers out of NSW classrooms to back Labor’s ideological opposition to Federal Industrial Relations changes,” Shadow Minister for School Education, Brad Hazzard said today.
“The students of NSW are entitled to have their teachers in the classroom.”
“Teachers are of course entitled to their political views but these should not be expressed during classroom time.”
“Today the Minister has acknowledged that students shouldn’t be given time off school to attend the strike.”
“The Minister should apply the same rules to teachers.”
“Irrespective of individuals views on Federal IR changes, State teachers are paid to teach.”
“Teachers are generally the most important people to children beyond their family and carers.”
“The Liberal/Nationals in NSW believe teachers who wish to express their views on Federal IR reforms should do so outside school hours.”
“State Labor has mislead teachers and other public servants into believing these reforms will affect them.”
“They won’t!”
“Parents should know that if teachers take time out of the classroom on Thursday, Premier Iemma and Minister Tebbutt are directly responsible.”
Brad Hazzard MP
Shadow Minister for School Education, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
The NSW State Labor Government has negligently wasted $1 million on fines which could have been better spent improving public schools.
“Revelations the State Labor Government have paid $1 million in fines due to unsafe working conditions at schools will come as no surprise to staff and students who often suffer poor school conditions daily,” Shadow Minister for School Education, Brad Hazzard said today.
“The $1 million in fines State Labor has paid to WorkCover for safety breaches could have been far better spent on improving educational outcomes at schools.”
“With a $116 million maintenance backlog, the $1 million spent on fines could have been used to:
• Fix some of the maintenance backlog or
• Hire an extra 15 school counsellors to deal with students’ problems or
• Install 10 new security fences at ‘at risk’ schools or
• Hire an extra 20 ESL (English as a second language) teachers.”
“Labor should wake up - it only has itself to blame for allowing public schools to fall into such disrepair.”
“Money to fix schools should have been provided years ago – not just promised 10 months before an election.”
“State Labor would not allow departmental officials to sit in buildings where the roofs and walls are collapsing, so why is State Labor allowing children and teachers to work in run-down buildings?”
“The Liberal/Nationals call on the NSW Labor Government to stop wasting money on fines and act now to ensure teachers and students are able to work in safe and secure schools.”
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