By JONATHON HOWARD
QUEENSLAND Teacher’s Union Stanthorpe branch representative, Damian Anderson, has slammed the Federal Government’s education and health cuts labelling them “heartless”.
Mr Anderson recently travelled to Brisbane for a meeting of the QLD Teachers Union State Council and upon his return wrote a passionate letter to the Free Times.
“This was the first time since the Federal Budget announcement that the Coalition was tearing the heart out of education and health funding that I sensed any hope around future education funding,” he said.
“Presenters spoke passionately of the fight against the government and all teachers unions around Australia will continue the fight against Mr Christopher Pyne MP, our so called ‘Federal Education Minister’, to protect educational funding for all students.”
Mr Anderson said it was absurd to think the Federal Government’s 80-billion-dollar cut would be fair.
“But you can believe all teachers and health workers don’t,” he said.
“We care about our students and patients.
“Federal Treasurer Mr Joe Hockey MP says we all need to share in the heavy lifting to help our country, but surely stripping back our education and health systems, which should be the best in the world and free to all, is not the right way to go.”
Mr Anderson pointed to the proposed Gonksi reforms, which he said offered a chance for children to have access to the best free education in world.
“Education that was blind to where you live or how much your parents earned or a perceived status that you get by going to a private school or if you have a disability,” he said.
“This funding was ‘needs’ based and the children who needed it most would have got it.
“Mr Pyne says that they are investing more into schools than Labor would have.
“Well that is just another lie.
“Labor agreed to the full six-year Gonski reforms not four-years, and two-thirds of the money in the Gonski reforms came in the fifth and sixth year.”
Mr Anderson also made a pledge to the parents of the Southern Downs.
“I say to you all, the (Liberal National Coalition) Government might not care about your children, and they won’t do the heavy lifting for you, but rest assured your children’s teacher cares and they will do the heavy lifting for the government and often out of their own back pocket,” he said.
