The Australian Education Union Victorian branch has welcomed the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry, proposed by The Greens, into the disastrous impacts of the Allan Labor government’s decision to deny increased funding for Victoria’s public schools.
The inquiry, by the Legislative Council’s Legal and Social Issues Committee, is an important way to hold the Allan Labor government accountable for the cuts in funding and associated delay in state government’s contribution to deliver 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard.
AEU Victoria president Justin Mullaly said the parliamentary inquiry was an important step and would assist in ensuring Victoria’s public school students and staff received the funding they need.
“This parliamentary inquiry will help improve school funding transparency and highlight the dire consequences that the Allan Labor government’s broken promise, and billions of dollars of cuts, will have on students, teachers, education support staff and school leaders alike,” Mr Mullaly said.
“Victoria’s public schools are already the lowest funded in the country and our teachers the lowest paid, and when you don’t pay teachers properly it means you are under valuing principals and education support staff as well.
“Without full funding delivered in a fair and timely way, it will be much harder to attract and retain school staff, and for teachers, education support staff, and principals to properly and effectively meet the learning and wellbeing needs of students.
“Beyond needing to explain to Victorian public school staff, students, and families why they are not worth the investment compared to other states and territories, the establishment of this inquiry is further proof that the Premier and Education Minister need to fix their funding mess by reversing their broken promise and ensure our public schools are properly funded.
“We should only accept the Victorian and Commonwealth governments delivering a bilateral agreement that delivers full funding in a meaningful and timely way, and not pushed out into a timeframe that means the resources AEU members and their students need to achieve positive educational outcomes continue to be denied because they continue to be delayed.”
Media contact: Will Brewster - 0458 809 472
28 May 2025