FEDERAL LABOR WILL REVERSE FUNDING CUTS FOR SA SCHOOLS

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Tanya Plibersek, today confirmed Federal Labor will reverse Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts to schools in full, including the $210 million he is ripping from South Australia.

 

Ms Plibersek applauded Susan Close and the Weatherill Labor Government, for standing up against Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s plan to cut funding to South Australian schools by $210 million in 2018 and 2019.

 

“Like the Weatherill Labor Government, I believe every school should be a great school, and that every school should receive its fair level of funding,” Ms Plibersek said.

 

“That’s why Federal Labor has committed to reversing Mr Turnbull's cuts to schools.

 

“And unlike Malcolm Turnbull, Federal Labor will make sure that the biggest funding increases go to the neediest schools, in the fastest time.

 

“Rather than the bully-boy approach of Simon Birmingham and Malcolm Turnbull, a Federal Labor Government will work constructively with the South Australian State Government to deliver proper funding for schools.

 

“Malcolm Turnbull’s priorities are all wrong. He wants to provide massive tax cuts to multinationals and millionaires while threatening to withhold funding for South Australian schools.

 

“The Turnbull Government is in such disarray, and is so desperate for states to stop campaigning for proper agreed funding levels, it is prepared to threaten schools with closure next year,” Ms Plibersek said.

 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has advised the he would pull all federal funding from all South Australian schools (about $1.3 billion in 2018) if the South Australian Government refused to endorse his new funding plan.

                                                                                                    

South Australia’s Education and Child Development Minister, Susan Close, said she was extremely grateful for the reassurance by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, after the State had been abandoned by Malcolm Turnbull.

 

“It is now clear that the only way our schools will get the funding they need is under a Federal Labor Government. There is a stark difference – Labor is investing while the Liberals are cutting,” Minister Close said.

 

Minister Close said the State Government has also invested more than $1 billion extra in school infrastructure in South Australia, including $250 million for STEM Works, $692 million for Building Better Schools, low interest loans and capital grants for non-government schools.

 

The State Government will also be building four new schools – in the city, northern and southern Adelaide and in Whyalla.