CHECK AGAIMIST DELIkewk1i
PRIME MINISTER
SPEECH AT KOGARAH MARIST HIGH SCHOOL 11 RARCH 1984
IT IS WITH MUCH PLEASURE THAT LAST YEAR I ACCEPTED THE
INVITATION TO COME TO KOGARAH TODAY TO OPEN YOUR SCHOOL'S
MAJOR EXTENSIONS AND RENOVATIONS,
I DID SO RECOGNISING THIS AS A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT IN THE
LIVES OF YOUR STUDENTS, STAFF, PARENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY. I WAS ALSO MINDFUL THAT THIS YEAR, 1984,
iS THE SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE
SCHOOL,
AND THIS IS A GREAT SCHOOL. IT HAS EVERY REASON TO BE PROUD
OF ITS CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL LIFE. THE FORMER
ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY, CARDINAL GILROY, WAS A DISTINGUISHED
EX-STUDENT. YOU ALSO COUNT A NUMBER OF LEADING
PARLIAMENTARIANS AMONG YOUR OLD BOYS SENATOR GRAHAM
RICHARDSON AND JIM CARLTON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND BRIAN
BANNON AND BRIAN LANGTON AT STATE LEVEL. THEY ARE EACH IN
THEIR RESPECTIVE WAYS WORKING FOR A BETTER AUSTRALIA.
THE EXCELLENT JOB OF EXTENSION AND RENOVATION YOU HAVE NOW
COMPLETED AUGERS WELL FOR THE FUTURE, THE NEW FACILITIES
WILLo I AM SURE, PROVIDE AN IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR BOTH
STUDENTS AND STAFF. THE 1IORK AND EFFORT PUT INTO THEIR
PLANNIN AND CONSTnUCTION IS A CREDIT TO ALL INVOLVED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TOTAL COST OF THIS PROJECT WAS
$ 845,000 AND THAT A COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT CAPITAL WORKS
GRANT OF $ 545,000 WAS MADE TO HELP ALLAY THE COST. PARENTS
AND FRIENDS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE BALANCE,
EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE A CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR PARENTS, THE
COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT'S CONTRIBUTION To KOGARAH MARIST
HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS THE GOVERNMENT' S HEAVY COMMITMENT TO
THIS CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT. PARENTS OWN CONTRIBUTIONS
UNDERLINE IN A QUITE UNMISTAKEABLE WAY THE HIGH VALUE THEY
ALSO PLACE ON TOP QUALITY EDUCATION,
OF COURSE A SCHOOL DOES NOT RUN ON BUILDINGS ALONE.
ACCORDINGLY THE COMMONWEALTH ALSO GIVES GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS'
OPERATING COSTS. INi 1983 COrtIUMNWEALTH GRANTS To KOGARAH
MARIST HIGH SCHOOL WERE CLOSE TO $ 900,000. INDEED AS PART
OF OUR EDUCATION POLICY THE GRANTS FOR 1984 WERE INCREASED
By 3 PER CENT IN REAL TERMS OVER AND ABOVE INCREASES IN
SCHOOL COSTS.
THIS PATTERN OF SUPPORT To KOGARAH MARIST HIGH SCHOOL IS A
CONCRETE DEMONSTRATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT'S
VERY STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VIGOROUS AND
EFFECTIVE NATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM A SYSTEM WITHIN WHICH
NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS ARE A CRUCIAL PART,
LET ME COMMENT BRIEFLY ON THE BASIC ASSUMPTIONS MY
GOVERNMENT BRINGS TO EDUCATION POLICY.
AS A NATION WE MUST BE PREPARED TO INVEST* HEAVILY IN HUMAN*
SKILLS, WE NEED A COMMUNITY AND WORKFORCE THAT HAS THE
EDUCATION NECESSARY TO COPE WITH AND ADAPT TO A RAPIDLY
CHANGING WORLD,
AS A GOVERNMENT WE ARE GIVING URGENT ATTENTION TO THE
CREATION OF A BASE OF SKILLS ACROSS THE WHOLE WORKFORCETHROUGH
EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND
THROUGH THE ESTBALISHMENT OF NECESSARY RETRAINING FACILITIES
FOR THE EXISTING WORKFORCE. ONLY IF WE EQUIP OUR PEOPLE
WITH THE CAPACITIES AND ATTITUDES TO COMPETE EFFECTIVELY IN
THE WORLD AT LARGE, WITH FLEXIBILITY AND WITH CONFIDENCE,
CAN WE MAKE THE MOST OF FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES. IN THE
PRESENT DAY WORLD., WITH ITS INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED
TECHNOLOGIES AND RAPID CHANGE, PEOPLE MUST HAVE THE CAPACITY
AND SKILL TO MOVE WITH THE TIMES, TO BE FLEXIBLE, TO BE
INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE.
ACCORDINGLY THE GOVERNMENT SEES IT AS IMPORTANT THAT SCHOOLS
PROVIDE VOCATIONALLY RELEVANT EDUCATION, As I HAVE SAID CUR
WORLD DEPENDS UPON INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGIES. l
STUDENTS NEED TO BE GIVEN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THESE
TECHNOLOG IES. I u
TODAYo FOR EXAMPLE, COMPUTER LITERACY IS A NECESSARY
PREREQUISITE FOR MORE AND MORE JOBS, ACCORDINGLY THIS
GOVERNMENT HAS INTRODUCED A NATIONAL COMPUTER EDUCATION
PROGRAM OF $ 18 MILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WE WILL
BE PROVIDING FUNDS TO BOTH GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE UNDERSTANDING
OF THE USES OF THIS TECHNOLOGY, ITS IMPACT ON THE NATURE OF
WORK AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS TO IMPROVE THE LEVEL
OF BASIC COMPUTER LITERACY$
ENCOURAGING A REASONABLE DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION, BOTH IN
GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS,, IS ALSO AN INTEGRAL
PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT' S EDUCATION POLICY
APPROACH. SUCH ASSISTANCE IS B3EING PROVIDED WITH DUE REGARD
B01TH TO THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.,
AND THE PRINCIPLE OF NEED AS DEFINED IN CLOSE CONSULTATION
WITH INTERESTED PARTIES,
To PROVIDE THE EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORT!', 1; TY NECESSARY
FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE IN OUR FUTURE, IS A
MAJOR THRUST OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EDUCATION POLICY, THE
YOUNG ARE OUR NATION 6S FUTURE, No CHILD'S EDUCATION AND
DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE PENALISED BY SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC
BACK( GROUND, LACK OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR LACK OF SUITABLE
OPPORTUINITI ES. 4
LET ME TAKE YOU BACK( SOME 10 YEARS IN 1973 THE KARMEL
COMMITTEE IN ITS REPORT ON SCHOOLS IN AUSTRALIA FOUND A
VERY CONSIDERABLE DISPARITY IN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
FOR TEACHING TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, SINCE THEN COMMONWEALTj
GOVERNMENTS OF BOTH POLITICAL PERSUASIONS HAVE PROVIDED
COMMONWEALTH ASSISTANCE TO NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS ON THE
BASIS OF THE RELATIVE NEED OF EACH SCHOOL.
THE SCHOOLS COMMISSION HAS JUST RELEASED A DISCUSSION PAPER
ON COMMONWEALTH FUNDING OF SCHOOLS AND IT NOTEs flAT THi-Ji"-
ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES IN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
TO SCHOOLS,
THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT' S EDUCATION FUNDING POLICIES
ARE DIRECTED TO PROVIDING A GREATER LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE TO
THOSE WITH A GREATER NEED, OUR IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE IS TO
REDUCE THE LEVEL OF INEQUALITY BETWEEN SCHOOLS BY RAISING
THE STANDARDS OF THOSE SCHOOLS MOST IN NEED. THE GAP BETWEEN
LOW RESOURCE SCHOOLS AND OTHER SCHOOLS HAS TO BE REDUCED.
IN DEVELOPING ITS POLICIES IN THE EDUCATION AREA,, AS IN MOST
OTHER FIELDS, THE GOVERNMIENT HAS HAD TO BALANCE COMPETING
CLAIMS FOR ITS LIMITED FUNDS.
THE LIMITS IMPOSED IN 1983 BY THE VERY LARGE INHERITED
BUDGET DEFICIT MEANT THAT THE LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE WE
CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR NEEDY SCHOOLS COULD ONLY BE
ACHIEVED BY A SLIGHT REDISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS AWAY FROM A
SMALL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WHICH HAD THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF
PRIVATE INCOME.
IN DOING THIS WE SHIFTED SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT
FROM THOSE WITH A LOT OF PRIVATE INCOME TO THOSE WITH
VERY LITTLE.
THE EXTENT OF THE SHIFT INVOLVED HAS SOMETIMES BEEN
EXAGGERATED, THE REDUCTION FOR THE FEW WEALTHY SCHOOLS
AFFECTED AMOUNTED TO ABOUT $ 28 A TERM FOR A PRIMARY
STUDENT AND $ 4j5 A TERM FOR A SECONDARY STUDENT. AT THE
SAME TIME WE INCREASED GRANTS FOR OVER 90 PER CENT OF ALL
MON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, THAT, AS IS OVERWHELMINGLY
ACKNOWLEDGED IN THIS COUNTRV, IS AN EQUITABLE AND DECENT
APPROACH.
BECAUSE OF OUR POLICY OF DIRECTING ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN
NEED, OVER 90 PER CENT OF NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS WILL
RECEIVE A HIGHER REAL LEVEL OF GRANT IN 198' 4 THAN BEFORE.
THIS YEAR WE WILL INCREASE OUR ASSISTANCE BY $ 9.5 MILLION
IN REAL TERMS TO $ 627 MILLION, INCLUDING $ 540' MILLION IN
RECURRENT GRANTS. THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT IS GIVING
MORE M4ONEY TO NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS THAN ANY GOVERNMENT
BEFORE IT,
POLICY IN THIS AREA IS OF CRITICAL INTEREST TO ALL OF US
AFTER ALL OUR CHILDREN'IS FUTURE AND THROUGH THEM OUR OWN
FUTURE IS AT STAKE, IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I CONSIDER
IT AXIOMATIC THAT NO CHILD SHOULD BE PENALISED OR DEPRIVED)
OF ACCESS TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF EDUCATION.
THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THAT MANY PARENTS CHOOSE TO
EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN OUTSIDE A GOVERNMENT SCHOOL SYSTEM.,
IT ALSO RECOGNISES THE HIGH STANDARD WHICH A NUMBER OF
NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOO0LS HAVE ATTAINED. BUT IN SUBSIDISING
THE CHOICE BY PARENTS OF A PARTICULAR SYSTEM OF EDUCATION
THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT IT MUST SUBSIDISE ALL
CHOICES EQUALLY. IN THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW THE SUBSIDY
LEVEL SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY NEED BY THE SCHOOLS'I NEED FOR
ADEQUATE RESOURCES SO THAT ALL SCHOOLS CAN OPERATE AT LEAST
AT AN ACCEPTABLE COMMUNITY STANDARDO
THE GOVERNMENT IS STRONGLY OF THE VIEW THAT A NEW EDUCATION
FUNDING SCHEME THAT IS BASED ON BETTER AND FAIRER MEASURES
OF NEED SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED.
THE COMMONWEALTH SCHOOLS COMMISSION HAS RECENTLY PRODUCED A
PUBLIC DISCUSSION PAPER THAT OUTLINES OPTIONS THAT IT SEES
FOR COMMONWEALTH FUNDING FOR 1985 AND BEYOND.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION HAVE COMMENCED AN EXTENSIVE
PROCESS OF CONSULTATION WITH SCHOO0L ORGANISATIONS AND
STATE GOVERNMENTS REGARDING THE EDUCATION FUNDING ISSUES
RAISED BY THIS PAPER$ THIS EXTENSIVE PROCESS OF
CONSULTATION IS AIMED AT ENSURING THAT THE VIEWS OF ALL
THE INTERESTED PARTIES ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. ONCE THESE
CONSULTATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED THE SCHOOLS COMMISSION
WILL PUT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS ON FUTURE FUNDING TO THE
GOVERNMENT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHILE THE PRECISE DETAILS OF THE
FUNDING FORMULA HAVE NOT YET BEEN RESOLVED, NO NEEDY SCHOOL
WILL RECEIVE LESS REAL ASSISTANCE THAN IT DOES TODAY1
THE GOVERNMENT AIMS, THROUGH A FULL PROCESS OF CONSULTATION,
TO ESTABLISH A CLIMATE FOR EDUCATION THAT WILL BE
HARMONIOUS, PRODUCTIVE AND LASTING. THIS WILL BE THE
PURPOSE OF MY OWN INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CONSULTATIONS NOW
TAK( ING PLACE. WITH SENATOR SUSAN RYAN I AIM TO ENSURE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVES IN THIS AREA ARE CARRIED FORWARD
iN SUCH A MANNER AS TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE FULL SUPPORT OF
ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.
As WE DEVELOP THE FUNDING PROCESSES FOR NEXT YEAR AND LATER,
THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE MUST BE
PARAMOUNT. THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIA DEPENDS ON ITS MAIN
RESOURCE ITS YOUTH. THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT IS
WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY. TO EQUIP THEMSELVES
FOR THE DIFFICULTIES AND CHANGING WORLD THAT IS AHEAD OF THEM.
THIS PROCESS OF CONSULTATION AND CONSENSUS THE REMOVAL OF
CONFLICT IS THE MAINSPRING OF THIS GOVERNMENT'S WHOLE APPROACH
TO GOVERNMENT.
ONLY BY SUCH AN APPROACH CAN WE TRULY HARNESS OUR RESOURCES
FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED IN THE PAST WITH EFFORTS TO
ERODE AND,. HOPEFULLY, TO REMOVE THE STATE AID ISSUE AS A DIVISIVE
FEATURE OF POLITICS IN THIS COUNTRY.
STATE AID WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BECOME AN ISSUE UNDER MY
GOVERNM4ENT. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT AND CONSTRUCTIVE:
ROLE IN THIS LONG STRUGGLE TO BRING EQUITY AND FAIRNESS TO
OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. I HAVE WELCOMED YOUR CO-OPERATION WITH
US IN THIS FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT AREA OF OUR NATION I S AFFA:! RS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING CLOSE CONSULTATIONS WITH CHURCH
LEADERS IN THE NECESSARY ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ON EDUCATION
FUNDING* IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO DECLARE THESE NEW FACILITIES
OPEN AND TO WISH THE STUDENTS, STAFF AND SUPPORTERS OF THE
SCHOOL WELL FOR THE FUTURE,