A diverse group of public education supporters today called on Premier Will Hodgman to step up efforts to secure the state’s Gonski school funding agreement.

“Teachers, parents, principals and community groups all recognise the urgent need for our schools to receive their full Gonski funding and are calling on Will Hodgman to step up efforts to secure it from the Federal Government,” said Helen Richardson.

“Gonski funding directs resources to schools and students that need it most and that’s why it is critical that Will Hodgman does not allow Malcolm Turnbull to rip up our Gonski agreement,” said Ms Richardson.
“Will Hodgman needs to stand up to Malcolm Turnbull and ensure he honours Tasmania’s signed six year Gonski agreement that will deliver $100 million to our schools in the next two years alone.”
Government under resourcing of Tasmanian public schools is so severe that Tasmanian teachers and principals are even dipping into their own pockets to make up shortfalls.
“I visit primary schools with classes of 30 students and schools without enough literacy and numeracy programs and year-long waits for professional supports such as speech therapy – this should be unacceptable to our Premier.”
“Tasmania’s Gonski agreement is the only plan to deliver the step change in funding that our schools desperately need and Premier Will Hodgman should be fighting tooth and nail for it.”
“The Premier’s own education minister, in a written submission*, admitted that if Gonski funding was cut short there would not be the generational lift in education outcomes that we all want to see.”

The call comes ahead of tomorrow’s Education Council meeting in Hobart where state and territory education ministers meet with Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham.

“As Opposition Leader, Will Hodgman signed a Gonski pledge** to fight for the Federal Government to fund its share of Tasmania’s six year Gonski agreement and now it’s time for the Premier to honour that pledge,” said Ms Richardson.

Tasmania has a six-year signed Gonski Agreement with the Commonwealth, where state and federal governments jointly fund our schools. Two thirds of the funding is due to arrive in the next two years (5th and 6th implementation years) – but Malcom Turnbull doesn’t want to honour his side of the Agreement.

Only a fraction of Gonski money has been delivered so far in Tasmania, with the largest amounts due to flow in the next two years – the Federal Government’s share is $100 million in 2018/2019.
Further information:

*Jeremy Rockliff cites $100M as Federal Gonski money due to Tasmania in 2018/2019 in his Senate Submission and says that without it the state won’t see the generational lift in education standards – read it here: https://aeutas.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Tasmanian-Government-Submission-Copy.pdf

**Click here for the link to Will Hodgman’s Gonski pledge: https://aeutas.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/WILL-HODGMAN-GONSKI-PLEDGE.pdf
Helen Richardson