Arrogant refusal to listen or consult leads to backflip on bad early start move

 Badly drafted, un-researched, ill-conceived strategy needed to go
 Irresponsible plan caused anxiety and distress throughout community
 Rockliff’s extraordinarily misguided plan threatened child care
 Embarrassed Minister used cover of darkness to announce backflip
Jeremy Rockliff’s monumental backflip on his unproven, unnecessary and irresponsible plan to send three-year-olds into schools has further exposed a government incapable of putting the effort into creating workable policy for Tasmanians.
Shadow Education Minister Michelle O’Byrne said while the government backflip was a major win for Tasmanian families and teachers and the child care sector, it was the only option left to the Liberals over their ill-conceived and badly researched education policy which was destined to failure.
“It’s extremely telling that Jeremy Rockliff used the cover of darkness last night to announce his major education policy was being abandoned and hide from immediate scrutiny,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“That’s because he knew it was unproven and irresponsible, he knew it was not based on evidence, he knew it was badly researched, he knew he had failed to genuinely consult with the community and he knew the very serious concerns raised over the past two years were justified.
“All that has been achieved throughout this sorry chapter is immeasurable anxiety and distress for parents and students and teachers and the child care sector, which faced ruin under the Hodgman Government.
“It’s typical of this government to ram legislation like this through the House of Assembly without doing the thorough, necessary work.
“It’s typical of the government to then blame the Upper House when legislation falls over.
“The Upper House told Mr Rockliff the early start plan was deeply flawed and sent him back to do more work with greater consultancy.
“That work showed that changing Tasmania’s school starting age was deeply flawed and fraught with problems.
“It took research carried out by the unions which showed three quarters of Tasmanians were opposed to the plan to finally convince the government – and that is research the government should have been doing itself.
“Labor has always opposed the reduction in a school starting age – based on evidence – and a re-elected Labor Government will instead back in early years programs that have proven results, including building six new Child and Family Centres.”
Michelle O’Byrne MP Shadow Education Minister