SKL( H AT OUR LADY OF NF RCY (' 01. I l
BY THE PRIME MINISTER, HON. E. G. WHITLAM, MY.,
ON DECEMBER i, 1974.
YOUR EMINENCE, SISTER PAULINE, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND, ESPECIALLY, GIRLS.
YOU WILL PROBABLY KNOW THAT I HAVE RETURNED
FROM CAMPAIGNING IN QUEENSLAND IN ORDER TO KEEP A LONG
STANDING PROMISE TO MY COLLEAGUE RAY THORBURN, M. P. FOR
COOK, IT WAS VERY TEMPTING TO STAY NQRTH OF THE
BRISBANE LINE, ESPECIALLY AS TODAY IS THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE WORLD'S FIsrT LABOR GOVERNMENT, A QUEENSLAND
GOVERNMENT, HELD UNDER A TREE AT BARCALDINE ON THE TROPIC
OF CAPRICORN. I AM NOTHING IF NOT ALIVE TO THE LURE OF
ANNIVERSARIES. THEY PROVIDE SPLENDID OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SAYING ALL THOSE THINGS THERE IS NORMALLY LITTLE CALL FOR
SAYING. TODAY, OF COURSE, IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR
OUR LADY OF MERCY COLLEGE. I AM SURE IT WILL ENTER YOUR
ANNALS AS A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY ALONG WITH MORE SANCTIFIED
FEAST DAYS. AT THE SAME TIME, TODAY IS A VERY SPECIAL
DAY FOR ME.
IT IS TWO YEARS TODAY SINCE MY LAST DAY AS
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT.
IT IS TWO YEARS TOMORROW SINCE THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE
RETURNED MY PARTY To GOVERNMENT THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN
LABOR GOVERNMENT IN 23 YEARS. IN THE LAST FEW DAYS
I HAVE INDULGED IN SOME NOSTALGIA IN VARIOUS RADIO AND
TELEVISION INTERVIEWS. IN EACH INTERVIEW AND I
SHOULD NOTE IN PARTICULAR AT THIS GATHERING THE ONEI
GAVE To 2SMl ST MARY'S IN SYDNEY I WAS ASKED WHAT
ICONSIDERED OUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IN THOSE TWO
SHORT BUT VERY FULL YEARS. IN EACH ANSWER I REPLIED
UNHESITATINGLY: EDUCATION. IHAD BECOME THE MEMBER OF
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THIS DISTRICT 25 YEARS
AGO. IN MY FIRST YEAR IN PARLIAMENT I TWICE URGED THAT
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE SAME
DEGREE OI INTEREST IN SCHOOL EDUCATION AS IT WAS ALREADY
TAKING IN UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.
SO IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE THAT I SHOULD OPT OUT
OF A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TO COME HERE TODAY IN ORDER TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE OPENING AND DEDICATION OF YOUR NEW
LIBRARY BLOCK. THIS IS A TANGIBLE ILLUSTRATION OF MY
BELIEF THAT LABOR'IS OUTSTANDING MONUMENT WILL PROVE TO BE
WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO, WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED, IN THE
EDUCATIONAL FIELD. . t3/,
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY QUALIFICATION ABOUT
my GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION.
IN MY POLICY SPEECH IN NOVEMBER 1972. JUST
TWO YEARS AGO, I PROMISED THAT EDUCATION WOULD B E THE
MOST RAPIDLY GROWING SECTOR OF PUBLIC SPENDING UNDER A
LABOR GOVERNMENT. I SAID THEN: " EDUCATION SHOULD
BE THE GREAT INSTRUMENT FOR THE PROMOTION OF EQUALITY."
WE SAW EDUCATION AS THE PRIMARY INSTRUME NT FOR IMPROVING
THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR PEOPLE AND PROMOTING EQUALITY
OF OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN. WE PROPOSED A NEW
CHARTER FOR THE CHILDREN OF AUSTRALIA.
WITHIN A YEAR THAT CHARTER HAD BEEN PROCLAIMED,
ITS MAI-N PROMISES ENACTED, ITS ESSENTIAL FUNDS PROVIDED.-
ITS INSTITUTIONAL FORMS ESTABLISHED. ITS GREAT AND
LASTING BENEFITS CONTINUE TO FLOW TO THE CHILDREN OF
AUSTRALIA, ALL OVER AUSTRALIA.
MY OWN EXTENSIVE TRAVELLING THROUGH THE LENGTH
AND BREADTH OF QUEENSLAND IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAS
CONFIRMED ME IN MY RESOLUTION THAT CHILDREN EVERYWHAERE
IN AUSTRALIA ARE ENTITLED TO, AND SHOULD RECEIVE, AS
EXCELLENT AN EDUCATION AS CHILDREN AN{ YWHERE IN AUSTRALIA.
IF YOU GO TO SCHOOL AT BURRANEER YOU SHOULD HAVE THE
SAME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES AS IF YOU GO TO SCHOOL IN
BRISBANE OR AT BURNIE IN TASMANIA OR AT BRIDGETOWN IN
SOUTH AUSTRALIA. IF PARENTS'ARE OBLIGED TO MOVE
INTERSTATE TO PURSUE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THEY
SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE FOR THEIR SCHOOL
CHILDREN, IAM QUITE SURE THAT THE GREAT CATHOLIC
TEACHING ORDERS WHICH HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO PROMOTE
SCHOOLING IN THIS GREAT BUT STILL YOUNG COUNTRY OF OURS
WOULD HAVE NO QUARREL WITH my GOVERNMENT' S DESIRE. TO
PROMOTE THE INTERESTS OF THE CHILD IN RELATION TO THE
TOTAL COMMUNITY. THE DEDICATED NUNS AND BROTHERS WHO
LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM IN IRELAND IN ORDER TO'
UNDERTAKE THE LONG INHOSPITABLE VOYAGE TO SMALL PARISH
SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA WERE VERY'REAL EXPONENTS
OF THE DESIRE TO GIVE PEOPLE AND ESPECIALLY THE
CHILDREN IN THEI" R CARE A PROPER CHANCE IN LIFE.
.85/. 9
ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO I HAD THE VERY REAL PRIVILEGE
OF ATTENDING A DINNER IN MELBOURNE IN HONOUR OF THAT CITY' S
NEW CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP. DR FRANK LITTLE. AN IMPRESSIVE
AND CHARMING MAN, ARCHBISHOP LITTLE WAS, AMONGST OTHER
MORE OBVIOUSLY EXALTED TITLES, PARISH PRIEST OF ST MONICA'S
IN THE MELBOURNE SUBURB OF MOONEE PONDS WHEN HE WAS
APPOINTED ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE. HE HAD ATTENDED
ST MONICA'S SCHOOL AS A CHILD IN THAT PARISH. LIKE SO
MANY OF THE HIERARCHY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA.-
HE HAS A VERY REAL APPRECIATION OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE
FACED THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS IN THE PAST AND OF THEIR
VERY REAL NEEDS IN TRYING TO COPE WITH THE DEMANDS PLACED
ON THEM BY EXPANDING SCHOOL POPULATIONS AT A TIME* OF
INCREASING SOPHISTICATION IN THE TECHNOLOGY OF EDUCATION.
THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE AFFLICTING CATHOLIC
SECONDARY SCHOOLS. OUR LAD OF MERCY COLLEGE HAS A TOTAL
ENROLMENT OF 496 GIRLS, ENCOMPASSING THE YEARS FROM FORM I
TO SCHOOL CERTIFICATE. I UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WOULD BE
AND 6TH FORMS ARE EFFECTIVELY COMBINED AT DE LA SALLE
AND THIS IS A SENSIBLE WAY OF ACCOMMODATING THE FINAL YEARS
OF SECONDARY EDUCATION. BUT INCREASING COSTS MAKE THE
PROSPECT OF RUNNING A SECONDARY SCHOOL OF ANY SIZE SOMETHING
LESS THAN A SUNDAY-SCHOOL PICNIC. WE RECOGNISE THIS AND
HAVE TAKEN SPECIAL MEASURES TO HELP. 116/ 1
61
IWAS, THEREFORE, DELIGHTED TO READ
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL'S RECENT REMARKS PAYING TRIBUTE
TO THAT ASPECT OF OUR APPROACH TO EDUCATION. HE
WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF A NEW SCHOOL LIBRARY
IN MARRICKVILLE, STRANGE HOW ATTRACTIVE LIBRARIES
ARE TO US ALL, AND HOW LOQUACIOUS THEY MAKE ARCHBISHOPS
AND PRIME MINISTERS ALIKE.
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL SAID: " UN DER THE MANY
PRESSURES OF THE POST-WAR YEARS, CATHOLIC SCHOOLS HAVE
BEEN THREATENED WITH WHOLESALE CLOSURE DUE TO MOUNTING
FINANCIAL PROBLEMS.
" HOWEVER, WE ARE BOTH PLEASED AND PROUD TO
RECORD THAT SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS, STATE AND FEDERAL,
HAVE ENABLED NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS TO SURVIVE AND
PROSPER BY MAKING AVAILABLE GRANTS, FIRST FOR RECURRENT
COSTS, THEN FOR CAPITAL, NOW ALSO FOR MANY SPECIAL
PROGRAMS, SUCH A\ S FOR DISADVANTAGED AREAS, FOR TEACHER
DEVELOPMENT, FOR LIBRARIES..
A WEEK BEFORE, THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY REPORTED
ON THE MOST RECENT MEETING OF THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC
EDUCATION COUNCIL i@ 71e
THE COUNCIL WAS KIND ENOUGH TO ADOPT THE
FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS:-" THE NCEC ACKNOWLEDGES AND APPRECIATES THE
ACTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IN MAKING
SUPPLEMENTARY GRANTS IN THE 1974 BUDGET, THEREBY
INCREASING EDUCATIONAL FUNDS FOR 1974 AND 1975 TO
OFFSET THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION ON THE VALUE OF'GRANT S
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED, AND
" THE NCEC IS PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS COMMISSION' S REPORT TO THE MINISTER
FOR EDUCATION, SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDS FOR PROGRAMS
ADMINISTERED BY THE SCHOOLS COMMISSION, WHICH FOLLOWS
LINES RECOMMENDED BY THE NCEC AND OTHER INTERESTED
BODIES, WAS ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT."
NATURALLY, I AM DELIGHTED TO LEARN THAT OUR
EDUCATION PROGRAM HAS SUCH RESPONSIBLE ENDORSEMENT
FROM THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC EDUCATION COUNCIL.
BUT I WOULD BE LESS THAN FAIR TO THE COUNCIL
AND THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY IF I DID NOT ALSO REFER TO
ANOTHER COUNCIL RESOLUTION FROM THE SAME CANBERRA
MEETING.
THE COUNCIL REGRETTED THAT THE AMOUNT
ALLOWABLE IN CALCULATING INCOME FAX AS A DEDUCTION
FROM INCOME FOR EDUCATION EXPENSES WAS " tABRUPTLY
AND SEVERELY DIMINISHED"
THE COUNCIL BELIEVED THAT THIS ACTIONWOULD
HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE
FINANCIAL CONDITION OF PARENTS WHO MAINTAIN CHILDREN
IN NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY-AT THE
SECONDARY LEVEL. THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY ALSO STATED IN AN EDITORIAL
IN THE SAME ISSUE:
" MR. WHITLAM'S DECISION NOT TO RESTORE THE
STUDENT TAX CONCESSION MAY BE THE MOST DISASTROUS HEHAS
EVER MADE. s
" No MATTER WHAT CLAIMS ARE MADE THAT INDEPENDENT
SCHOOLS NOW RECEIVE ' STATE-AID', THE MERE FACT OF
REDUCING THE TAX DEDUCTION HAS DEPRIVED THOSE SCHOOLS
OF SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND INSTEAD OF BRINGING
THEIR PUPULS TO EQUITY WITH THOSE AT STATE SCHOOLS, IS
TAKING THEM BACK TO OLD TIMES."/ 1 19/,
9.
TH E EDITORIAL GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE DECISION
IS DISASTROUS TO PARENT TAX-PAYERS AND ItTHAT IT IS
DISASTROUS ON PRINCIPLE BECAUSE IT RESTORES THE OLD
PRACTICE OF DISCRIMINATION IN EDUCATION, TAXATION JUSTICE
AND CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS."
HARSH WORDS INDEED ABOUT AN AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS DONE MORE THAN* ANY OTHER AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT IN HISTORY TO DO AWAY WITH DISCRIMINATION IN
ALL -ITS GUISES, TO ADHERE TO THE PRINCIPLE OF TAXATION
JUSTICE AND TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO EXERCISE HIS OR
HER RIGHTS AS A PERSON, CITIZEN OR OTHERWISE.
Now, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY MANY OF YOU ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT my GOVERNMENT'S DECISION THAT THE FIGURE I
SHOULD COME DOWN FROM $ 40OO PER YEAR MAXIMUM DEDUCTION
TO $ 150 A YEAR MAXIMUM DEDUCTION. BUT I REFUTE
ABSOLUTELY THE SUGGESTION OF THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY EDITORIAL
THAT IT REPR" ESENTS A RETURN TO THE BAD OLD DAYS.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. IWELCOME
THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THAT DECISION TO YOU TODAY.
TO EXPLAIN PROPERLY, I MUST TAKE YOU BACK
TO THE EARLY YEARS OF THE MENZIES REIGN WHEN THE
DEDUCTION WAS FIRST INTRODUCED. IN 1952/ 53, THE
DEDUCTION WAS $ 100 WHICH WAS A NOT INCONSIDERABLE
AMOUNT OF MONEY THE YEAR THE QUEEN WAS CROWNED, THE
YEAR MENZIES PROCLAIMED HER QUEEN OF AUSTRALI A, THE
YEAR THEY CONQUERED EVEREST. BUT THAT WAS ALSO A
TIME WHEN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON EDUCATION
IN THE STATES WAS NON-EXISTENT. IT WAS VERY MUCH
LATER INDEED THAT MENZIES TO HIS ETERNAL CREDIT
FIRST GAVE COMMONWEALTH MONEY, THROUGH GRANTS, TO
THE UNIVERSITIES. IT WAS EVEN BEFORE STATE AID.
THE VERY LEAST THEY COULD DO WAS INSTITUTE A TAXATION
DEDUCTION FOR SCHOOL EXPENDITURE,
IN 1952/ 53 SCHOOLS OTHER THAN THE FEW RICHI
WELL-ENDOWED PRIVATE SCHOOLS, MOST OF THEM NON-CATHOLIC,
WERE REALLY NOT THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE* A THINKING
PARENT OF TODAY WOULD WAN[ HIS OR HER CHILD) REN TO
SPEND WHAT ARE ALWAYS PAINTED AS THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF
OUR LIVES. .11/.
WE HAD, MOST OF USI GONE TO SCHO OL AND LEFT
SCHOOL WITHOUT MUCH COMPLAINT. WE HAD NOT BEEN LED
TO EXPECT ANYTHING BETTER, SO WE DIDN'IT. IF IT WAS
GOOD ENOUGH FOR OUR PARENTS IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR
US, IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR US THERE WAS NO
REASON WHY IT SHOULDN'IT BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR OUR
CHILDREN. SOME PARENTS WERE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY
TO MAKE IT BETTER; SOME WERE NOT, AND THAT WAS JUST
BAD LUCK FOR THE CHILDREN.
FORTUNATELY, ALL THAT HAS CHANGED, CHANGED
UTTERLY. AND I AM PROUD INDEED THAT ONE OF THE MAIN
REASONS FOR THAT CHANGE IS THE OVERWHELMING BELIEF OF
my GOVERNMENT THAT IT IS ONLY THROUGH EQUALISING THE
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OF AIL CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA
THAT WE CAN FULFIL OUR OBLIGATIONS TO ANY. CHILD IN
AUSTRALIA. IKNOW THIS AUDIENCE TODAY WILL SYMPATHISE
WITH THAT CONTENTION. I K( NOW YOU WILL NOT BEGRUDGE
WHAT WE ARE GI\ VING IN BENEFITS TO CHILDREN LIVING IN
ISOLATED AREAS OF AUSTRALIA, THE QUEENSLAND SITUATION
HAS REMINDED ME VERY FORCIBLY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT
NEW EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT WE INTRODUCED LAST YEAR.
12.
LAST FINANCIAL YEAR WE SPENT OVER $ 8 MILLION TO HELP
OVER 13.. 000 FAMILIES OR 19,000 INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN
IN ISOLATED AREAS WHO UNTIL NOW HAVE SUFFERED
CONSIDERABLE DEPRIVATION BECAUSE OF THE INADEQUACY
OF FURTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR AREAS.
IKNOW YOU WILL NOT BEGRUDGE WHAT WE ARE DOING AT
LAST TO IMPROVE EDUCATION FOR ABORIGINAL CHILDREN.-
FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN,. FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, FOR
AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN WHER EVER, WHOEVER,. THEY MIGHT
HAPPEN TO BE. AND IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING,. I AM NOT
REALLY GETTING OFF THE TRACK. THE POINT I AM TRYING
TO MAKE IS THAT MY GOVERNMENT IS DOING FAR MORE FOR
INDIVIDUAL AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLCHILDREN THAN ANYONE
MIGHT HAVE DREAMED OF.
AND THAT'S NOT 1-O MENTION OUR CAPITAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,. OR RECURRENT GRANTS,. OR LIBRARY
AND SCIENCE GRANTS,. ALL OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE AND
HAVE BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA.
WHAT IT ALL ADDS UP TO IS AN ESTIMATED $ 1,535 MILLION
EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT1
THIS YEAR. AN INCREASE OF 344L PER CE 4T ON THE LAST
FULL YEAR OF THE LIBERAL-COUNTRY PARTY GOVERNMENT
WHICH SPENT A THEN RECORD OF $ 346 MILLION ON EDUCATION
IN 1971/ 72, It71I
13.
DIRECT EXPENDITURE ON NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS
HAS RISEN FROM $ 39 MILLION IN 1971/ 72 TO AN ESTIMATED
$ 126 MILLION IN 1974/ 75 A RISE OF 223 PER CENT.
So LET ME RETURN TO MY GOVERNMENT'S
DECISION TO REDUCE THE MAXIMUM TAXATION DEDUCTION FROM
$ 400 PER PUPIL TO $ 150 PER PUPIL, IT WAS A DECISION
THAT WAS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY NOR WANTONLY, IT WAS A
SOUND ECONOMIC DECISION ALBEIT AN UNPOPULAR ONE. No
GOVERNMENT THAT CUTS CONCESSIONS CAN EXPECT TO BE
CHEERED IN THE STREETS, OR, IN THIS CASE, IN THE CHURCH
SCHOOLS. IT WAS A DECISION TAKEN INLINE WITH MY
GOVERNMENT'S GENERAL POLICY OF CUTTING OUT DISGUISED
SUBSIDIES. WHICH IS WHAT THIS WAS.
IN SIMPLE FACT, TREASURY FIGURES INDICATE
THAT* TAX-PAYERS ON HIGHER INCOMES SAVE MlORE THAN THOSE
ON LOWER INCOMES AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRESSIVE TAX
RATE SCALE. IN 1971/ 72 THE GREAT MAJORITY OF TAX-PAYERS
WHOSE CHILDREN ATTENDED GOVERNMENT AND PAROCHIAL
SHCOOLS DID NOT NORMALLY CLAIM AMOUNTS OF MORE THAN
$ 150 P. A. FOR EACH STUDENT CHILD. .1LI/. I..
141
THE AVERAGE DEDUCTION DID NOT REACH $ 150
UNTIL NET INCOME REACHED $ 9,000. IT CANNOT
REASONABLY BE ASSUMED THAT PEOPLE EARNING $ 9,000
IN 1974/ 75 WOULD SPEND MORE ON AVERAGE THAN $ 150
PER CHILD. My GOVERNMENT DECIDED THAT A CUT-OFF
FIGURE OF $ 150 REPRESENTED A REASONABLE-COMPROMISE.
THE STATISTICS DEMONSTRATE THAT THE HIGHER'
A TAX-PAYERS'IS INCOME, THE MORE LIKELY HE IS TO CLAIM
LARGER DEDUCTIONS FOR EDUCATION EXPENSES.
THE PRESENT TAXATION SCALES ENSURE THAT
WHERE TWO TAXPAYERS CLAIM THE SAME DEDUCTION, THE
TAX-PAYER WITH THE HIGHER INCOME GAINS THE GREATER
BENEF-IT. THE SYSTEM PRODUCES THE SITUATION THAT THE
RICHER THE PARENT, THE MORE DOLLARS HE IS LIKELY TO
CLAIM AND THE MOR~ E HE GETS BACK OUT OF EACH DOLLAR
HE CLAIMS.
iL
I-HIAS NEVER I3LEN LXP" ECTLfD THAT CONCESSIONAL
C( 0V: F LLIL-I id ) 1 URE OF A PERSONAL OR DOMESTIC
NATUJRE. REAL-ISE THAT SOME PEOPLE H1.! E C ( l TO
Yie.~: r THEN AS A RIGHT, BUT THEY ARE NO MiORE THAN
T/ AX CONCE'SSIONS, INUTENDED TO T'AIKE SOME LURDEN FRWi~ l
TAX -PAYlffEf T-lE' ARE NOT IMNiLUTABLE rHOI GM TI EIR
THE 1fE0DrMU C$ L-TDI( Oi( UT O 1iU: UI LL RESULT
A N 1' 0d IN A FUI. L. YEAR OF ' O MMII I NLLVENU'L[-
TliX'T'S NOT REALLY A GRi. AT DEAL. OUT OF OUR' TOTAL
0F. KT 1 3Ur IT DOES MEAIN Ti-AT O iT il I OW HAS EJEFN
r virC fi AC2-i:/ L FUNY' ING -F
L1DUCAIION AT ALL LEVELS. IT IS PART OF THIS YEAR'S
PCCRDil EXPENDITURE OF .$ 1535 MILLION, AND THIS
MILLION WAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE WERE
DRAWING UP THIS YEAR' S BUDGET, I REMIND YOU AGAIN
THAT MY GOVTRrINEN1' S DIRECT EXPENDITURE ON
Ixi GOVERNrI1ENr SCHOO1-S THIS YEAR WILL BE $ 1.26 MILLION
At-1 INCREASE OF 223 PER CENT ON THAT OF 1971/ 72 WHEN
THE $ 400 DEDUCTION WOTH $ 30 MILLION APPLIED.
I DON'T EXPECT THAT I HAVE CONVERTED YOU,
BUT I HAVE READ YOU A LITANY OF SOME OF OUR
ACI-IIEVEMENTS IN EDUCATION, OF WHICH IAM LINASHAMEDLY
PROUD.
16.
ISPOKE EARLIER OF INEQUALITIES.
THE KARMEL COMMITTEE REPORT COMMENTED ON
THE INEQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR GIRLS.-tI
AND IN JULY THIS YEAR IT WAS DECIDED TO UNDERTAKE
A SPECIAL STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE ON
THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. THIS I
WIDE RANGING STUDY WILL COVER SUCH AREAS AS
ACHIEVEMENT, VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE, PARENT AND TEACHER
ATTITUDES, TEACHER TRAINING, BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOLI
CARE, AND ANY OTHER MATTERS AFFECTING THE EDUCATION
OF WOMEN AND GIRLS A FINAL REPORT WILL RECOMMEND
IROGRAM4S AND CHANGES TO CORRECT THE PRESENT IMBALANC'r
WHICH HAS RESTRICTED THE CAREERS AND
TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.
My GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT GIRLS SHOULD II
BE ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER THE WHOLE RANGE OF OCCUPAT ; IS
N TO THEM. THEY SHOULD BE MAZ-c AWARE OF THlE
POSSIB3ILITIES AND MEANS OF ACHIEVING OL-Cu...
AND NOT MERELY INFORMED OF THE BARRIERS IN THEIR'~.
GROWING FAMILIARITY WITH THE RANGE OF IDEAS
, JND1IN FORMATION AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR NEW LIBRARY IS
ONCL-DISCOVERING THE POSSIBILITIES OPEN TO YOU.
1. 171.
171
A RECENT EVALUATION REPORT ON OUR LIBRARIES
PROGRAM SUGGESTED THAT NEW FACILITIES WERE ENCOURAGING
NEW PATTERNS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING. a
THiE REPORT STATED THAT " THESE NEW PATTERNS
INCL. UDE MORE INDIVIDUALISATION OF INSTRUCTION,. MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LEARNERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR
EDUCATION, TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT AND ' ro BE MORE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN PROGRESS."
THAT AUGURS WEL. L FOR THIS NEW LIBRARY AND
THE CONTRIBUTION IT CAN MAKE TO THE LIFE OF THE
SCHOOL. IAM QUITE SURE THAT ALL OF YOU -SIST
PALINE, STAFF AND GIRLS W'IL L ENJOY DISCOVERING
AND REAPING THE BENEFITS OFTHIS NEW LEARNING CENTRE
WITHIN OUR LDY OF MIERCY COLLEGE. I
( Rj'a)