Michelle O’Byrne: Libs must rule out corporal punishment in Tassie schools

Shadow Education Minister Michelle O’Byrne has slammed comments made by the head of the Abbott government’s national curriculum review, who is backing the use of corporal punishment in schools.

“I was alarmed to hear the comments from Kevin Donnelly,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“This is a man hand-picked by Christopher Pyne to review our schools system.

“A key Liberal adviser having such outdated views shows just how out of touch the Federal Government is.

“If Mr Donnelly wasn’t in such a powerful position, his comments could be laughed off.

“But all bets are off with Christopher Pyne as education minister.

“I call on Tasmania’s Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff to categorically rule out bringing back corporal punishment in our state’s schools.

“The Abbott Government has thrown our public education system into chaos, scrapping Gonski and stripping funding from Tasmanian schools in the Budget.

“This is the latest in a chain of backward and damaging ideas from Canberra that isn’t helping Tasmanian students or schools.”
Michelle O’Byrne MP Shadow Education Minister