Union targets children

Letter submitted to the Fraser Coast Chronicle, Hervey Bay Independent and NewsMail on August 26, 2014.

Dear Editor,

I was appalled to learn recently that the Queensland Teachers’ Union has been targeting students as young as five to spread their false and misleading claims about the Federal Coalition’s education budget.

Primary and special needs students at the southern end of the Hinkler electorate were asked to put Union propaganda flyers in their bags to take home to their parents.

The fact of the matter is Commonwealth funding for Queensland schools will increase each year, for the next six years.

Total Commonwealth funding to Queensland schools will increase by 46.8% or $1.28 billion to 2017-18.

But don’t just take my word for it. The ABC Fact Check (2/7/14) says quite clearly that “the Government did not cut $30 billion from schools in the May Budget”. The ABC goes on to state that the Opposition’s education spokesperson Kate Ellis “is sprouting rubbery figures”.

Student to teacher ratios have improved, with a 12 per cent reduction in the number of students per teacher in Queensland.

This being the 16th National Literacy and Numeracy Week, I ask the unions to refocus their energy on outcomes for students rather than cheap political point-scoring for their Labor mates.

Federal Member for Hinkler, Keith Pitt MP