Gillard turns to Coalition policy in search
29 Oct 2009
Media release Following the costly failures of her flagship "Computers in Schools" and "Building the Education Revolution" programs to deliver an Education Revolution, Education Minister Julia Gillard has today announced her support for a Coalition policy - increased principal autonomy, according to Shadow Education Minister Christopher Pyne.
"Having failed to deliver on their promised Education Revolution, the Government is now turning to a Coalition-commissioned report for policy advice - having sat on that same report since they received it on 5 December 2007 - two weeks after winning the election.
"Two years later we find the Labor Party, desperately searching for an Education Revolution, is suddenly in favour of more autonomy for Principals!
"Today Julia Gillard has shown a lot of front in coming out and pretending this report and this policy is her own work. In 2004 Liberal Education Minister Brendan Nelson demanded that States divest more power to Principals as part of the Commonwealth's funding agreement - a fact positively noted in the first recommendation of the Report.
"Later, in 2007, Liberal Education Minister Julie Bishop commissioned the Report released today as part of the then Government's ongoing policy process.
"Ms Gillard has announced that she will invite some Principals to Canberra to discuss policy issues as if she is the first Education Minister to ever meet with a school leader.
"For five years the Coalition has been committed to delivering increased autonomy for Principals. We are happy to confirm our support for that policy, and endorse the recommendations in this Report (attached).
"Our challenge to Minister Gillard is to come out and confirm her support for these specific recommendations, and then deliver those outcomes in Australian schools.
"In her media release she makes the claim that the report 'supports the direction of the education reforms the Rudd Government is pursuing'. Clearly she is hoping that no journalist will take the time to read the report because it does no such thing.
"It identifies 16 policy areas that need addressing. So far the only one that Labor has taken up is the National Curriculum - another policy idea taken from the Liberal Party!"
27 October 2009
Media Contact: Adam Howard 0400 414 833