Education Ministers concedes Tasmanian schools face a funding cut

 Jeremy Rockliff finally admits Tasmania is worse off under the Liberals’ deal
 Tasmanian schools were promised the full Gonski package
 Alarming cut to disability education funding too

Deputy Labor Leader Michelle O’Byrne has welcomed Jeremy Rockliff’s admission that Tasmania has been let down by the Federal Government.

“After initially being the only state education minister cheering on the Federal Government’s education package, Jeremy Rockliff now concedes it’s a cut,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“The Tasmanian Government is naturally disappointed that the quantum of funding included in the new Gonski 2.0 model is not as much as proposed under the original agreement.” (Jeremy Rockliff, The Examiner 13/6/2017)

“I invite the Minister to join Labor to fight for the funding we were promised,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“The inferior proposal put forward by the Liberals means Tasmania will be $84.4 million worse off over the next two years.

“Now the Minister is on board, we can properly fight for the amount of education funding that was promised to the state.”

The admission from the Minister comes as it’s revealed that Tasmanian students with a disability face an $8 million cut.

“This is a cruel blow that students with a disability don’t deserve,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“Labor has called for a review of the funding system for students with a disability, with the intention of moving away from the IQ based funding system.

“The current system is inadequate and we need to find a truly needs based funding model.

“Labor is committed to working with the Tasmanian Disability Reform Lobby which is “appalled” by the latest cut.”
Michelle O’Byrne MP Deputy Labor Leader Shadow Education Minister