For everyone Vote to protect public education and your rights at work
With the federal election campaign in full swing, it’s clear that public education workers would be worse off under Peter Dutton. The Opposition leader’s announcement that he wants yet another rewrite of the school curriculum, would cut fee-free TAFE, would abandon pay increases for our lowest paid members in long day care settings, and not commit to fully funding public schools, all add up to us going backwards.
Under Dutton, we would be facing a future with a federal government that would cut and run from public education.
School funding at a crossroads
Despite being the first to sign a Heads of Agreement to deliver 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS), the Victorian and Commonwealth governments are yet to sign a bilateral agreement.
It is unclear how much funding the state and federal governments will provide for public schools in each year of the deal through to 2034. We should only accept a bilateral agreement that delivers full funding in a meaningful and timely way. Resources delayed are resources denied.
Liberal/National’s history of cuts
Even with the lack of clarity around the allocation of funding to our schools, Anthony Albanese has committed to lifting his government’s SRS share from 20% to 25%, worth billions of dollars. This is off the back of more than a decade of campaigning by AEU members.
Importantly, the Greens have said that they would deliver full funding to public schools almost immediately.
Peter Dutton has never supported the full funding of public schools, and other Opposition shadow ministers have given contradictory answers as to whether they support full funding.
When it comes to the Liberals on schools funding, the best predictor of future behaviour is past action. When Tony Abbott became prime minister in 2013, he cut $30 billion in public school funding, despite claiming during his election campaign that, if elected, he would honour funding deals “dollar for dollar”.
In 2018, the Liberals replaced the Gonski needs-based funding agreement with arrangements that meant no Victorian public school would receive full funding. They also allowed the state government to acquit capital depreciation costs as part of their funding share, instead of delivering those resources to schools.
In 2014, the Liberals cut $30 billion from public schools, despite claiming they would honour funding deals “dollar for dollar”.
Cutting TAFE means cutting opportunities and jobs
Since the Victorian government introduced fee-free TAFE in 2019, it has enabled more than 190,000 Victorians to access TAFE without tuition costs – this is what public education is all about. Albanese’s decision to take the fee-free TAFE policy nationwide has seen students benefit around the country, with TAFE and universities now sharing similar employment outcomes.
In contrast, the Liberals say they “won’t do free TAFE” and would cut $1.5 billion from the sector, with the deputy leader of the Opposition saying that “a key principle and tenet of the Liberal Party is if you don’t pay for something, you don’t value it”.
It’s no wonder that public education communities suffer under conservative governments.
Superannuation and rights at work under threat
Recent changes to workplace laws by the federal government have directly contributed to TAFE members achieving a minimum 21% pay increase, and many early childhood members in long day care receiving a 15% wages boost.
These changes are among 40 workplace law improvements made by the Albanese government, many of which will benefit AEU members. Peter Dutton has said he will repeal these improvements.
What’s worse, senior Liberal/Nationals MPs are canvassing to reduce the Superannuation Guarantee to 9% from the increases set to reach 12% in July.
Protect public education when you vote
We need a federal government that will continue to improve public education and workplace laws for the benefit of all members.
While these are not the only issues AEU members care about when they vote, it’s clear that public education and workplace rights will only go backwards under Peter Dutton.
