Tasmania Opposition Leader Will Hodgman

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Education Michael Ferguson

Liberals Will Save Schools From Closure – $60 Million Education Investment And School Retention Fund

Victor P Taffa

The Liberals will save the 20 schools that Labor and the Greens want to close.

We will create a new $60 Million Education Investment and School Retention Fund, a fund that will be available to keep open schools that Labor and the Greens want to forcibly close.

Ms. Giddings’ announcement last Thursday that the Government will be closing up to 20 schools was yet another broken Labor-Green promise.

These closures were announced with no consultation with school communities, in a “shoot first, ask questions later” approach.

While we recognise the challenges of demographic change, consultation with communities should take place first.

No forced closures used to be Labor’s policy.

No forced closures used to be the Greens’ policy – until they became obsessed with the trappings and perks of power.

No forced school closures remain Liberal policy.

We recognise in regional areas in particular, the closure of a local school can mean the death of a community; and hours spent on a school bus for children as young as four of five just isn’t acceptable.

Our $60 Million fund is enough to deliver the savings required to rescue all the schools Mr. McKim wants to close as well as boosting secondary education.

In the interests of students and local communities we will fight for each and every school on the Minister’s hit list.

TAS Shadow Minister for Education Michael Ferguson