Goals
Support local public education
Public education in the Port Macquarie Hastings area will be supported through the establishment of a coordinated programme of fundraising, marketing / public relations assistance, volunteer work and political lobbying.
Explanation
Public education in the local area is being degraded through neglect and aggressive competition by private schools. The state Labor government has not been providing adequate funding for schools state-wide over many years. Additionally, the previous federal Liberal / National coalition government gave substantial funding to predominately religious - and typically very well resourced - private schools at the expense of the public school system.
Private schools have many funding advantages over the public state school system and are able to leverage these advantages to maximum effect through provision of attractive physical infrastructure (e.g. new classrooms, sporting facilities, student amenities) and running expensive marketing campaigns. The main funding advantages are:
- Tax advantages for churches and other religious organisations;
- Direct funding from the federal government;
- Compulsory student fees, set entirely at the discretion of the school.
The state government shows no interest in building new schools in the Port Macquarie Hastings region - nor expanding, upgrading, or even adequately maintaining existing schools - despite clear and increasing demand. As the population of this region continues to grow rapidly, it appears that both the state and federal governments intend to force local residents to send their children to expensive private schools while allowing the continued degradation of our public school services.
Hastings Rationals will help to counter these attacks on the public school system by working with local schools to:
- Develop more effective fundraising strategies and initiatives, with the aim of upgrading school infrastructure and equipment;
- Design high quality marketing campaigns;
- Improve public relations and school "image".
We will also encourage volunteer work at local public schools as well as donation of books, computers, sporting equipment and other resources. Lobbying government at all levels for more equitable funding arrangements will be a significant part of our support for local schools and public schools across the country.