Regional and remote schools will bear the brunt of the Turnbull Government’s education cuts, with new data revealing that country classrooms will be disproportionately affected.
In the Hunter and Newcastle region alone, schools will be more than $731 million worse off over the next ten years – cuts that will impact every student in every school in the region.
With around 40 per cent of additional funding to have flowed to regional and remote classrooms under Labor’s funding reforms, these cuts will lock regional and country schools into inequity.
Shadow Minister for Education, Kate Ellis, said that students in regional and remote areas are trapped in a lottery of location which determines their success at school.
“There are particular challenges which regional and rural schools face, but the Government has no idea and isn’t giving students a fair go and a chance to catch up,” Ms Ellis said.
“If we want local students to get a great education and have jobs in the future we need to close the gap between country and city schools.”
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Rural Affairs, Joel Fitzgibbon, said that with students in regional and rural Australia falling behind their city peers, the Hunter and Newcastle region couldn’t afford any more neglect at the hands of this Government.
“The Liberals promised no cuts to education before the election, but then ripped $30 billion from Australia’s schools, and this will hit regional and rural Australia hardest,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“Malcolm Turnbull isn’t fooling anyone – he endorsed these cuts, and he has a moral obligation to act.
“This is why Labor is demanding Malcolm Turnbull reverse the Liberals’ school cuts, and why we will keep fighting for students in regional and rural schools.”
Labor is committed to making sure funding gets to the students who need it – and making sure regional schools and students receive their fair share.
Students in regional and rural Australia deserve the same opportunities as students in our big cities – the Liberal Government needs to reverse their savage cuts which will rip $731 million out of schools in the Hunter and Newcastle region.
FRIDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2015
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
THE HON. KATE ELLIS MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION
MEMBER FOR ADELAIDE
THE HON. JOEL FITZGIBBON MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS
MEMBER FOR HUNTER
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