GONSKI CUTS ARE SCARY
Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham dismissed my concern about the $43 million cuts to school “Gonski” funding in the Paterson electorate as a “scare campaign”.
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Yes, Minister, it is scary. Scary that our schools, our teachers and our students will miss out on the funding they need to keep up with the rest of the world; scary that a government that promised to deliver the full Gonski rollout has gone back on its word.
In his Letter to the Editor in Wednesday’s Maitland Mercury, Senator Birmingham said the government would deliver record funding to schools this year. Government funding for nearly everything increases by millions of dollars each year. The numbers of students goes up with population growth; teachers’ wages go up with inflation. This is not “extra” money for improving schools.
He said schools would still be able to support new or existing initiatives such as specialist teachers or targeted intervention programs. That’s not what I am hearing.
He criticised the 27 different funding arrangements Labor made with the states. That was necessary because states and systems were at different starting points and the goal was to move to a national standard.
He said that while funding mattered, what you do with it mattered more, and funding would be tied to back-to-basics reforms to boost student outcomes. But what are these reforms – tests for 6-year-olds?
Gonski cuts are real.
Long-term funding is needed to secure outcomes. Schools need to plan. Kids need a chance.
This government is pulling the rug out from under them.
That’s what’s scary.
Meryl Swanson,
Member for Paterson
GREEN WASTE BINS
I certainly do not think anyone with acreage needs one of these bins as we recycle any green waste for mulch or compost ourselves to enrich our own soils.
I would think that people who have their yards attended to by a contractor or those who reside in a unit would not need one either as these people remove the rubbish as part of their service.
We have enough expense to deal with without another fee impost of an unneeded service in a rural area.
I can understand the townsfolk needs, but what of the free green waste day at the dump at the weekend? Or is that to be abandoned with this scheme?
In my opinion, no green bin or extra cost is warranted in some areas and this scheme should be reviewed with the user pays system for those who are in favour.
Gloria Green,
Millers Forest
CBD CAR PARKING
I am puzzled why Maitland City Council is sitting on its hands regarding car parking.
As far as I am aware it has no future plans to fix what I believe to be a serious car parking problem, which is about to get worse with Aldi opening up near Kmart,.
The Kmart carpark is already full by 9am. There is surely going to be an increase in patronage. Where are they going to park?
Also, I understand that council, in its wisdom, is building a 120-seat restaurant but not providing any additional parking.
Green Hills knows the importance of car parking and is advertising about the extra car parking they are providing. They are expecting a 40 to 60 per cent increase in patronage when the expansion is finished.
Where are most of these customers going to comne from? At a good good guess, from those coming to Maitland Mall who could not get a car park.
John Lee,
Maitland
HAVE YOUR SAY
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