BEGA candidate Leanne Atkinson has accused sitting MP Andrew Constance of inaction over Gonski funding to local schools.
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Ms Atkinson on Monday issued a press release saying she was “eager to hear” Mr Constance’s response on “the revelation” that his government had left “funds on the table” intended for NSW schools.
In response, Mr Constance accused NSW Labor leader John Robertson of desperation and misleading the community.
Ms Atkinson said Education Minister Adrian Piccoli last week admitted he had neither written nor met with his federal counterparts to seek full funding for the Gonski funds for schools.
“When he was writing the State Budget, did the Treasurer know that his government was not working to secure our fair share for our schools? If he did know, how was the Treasurer planning on filling that hole in the schools budget?” Ms Atkinson said.
“It’s one thing to say you support properly funding our schools, but this community is looking for actions, not words.”
In response, Mr Constance said Labor “trashed” the state budget and economy for years when it held office.
“Liberals have had to repair the budget and rebuild NSW due to Labor’s incompetence,” he said.
“Labor are experts at scare mongering and their latest effort involving local South Coast schools is politically desperate – they will do and say anything for a headline.”
Mr Constance said the NSW Liberals’ 2014-15 Budget included a record $14.4 billion for education, training and early childhood education - an increase of $612 million on last year’s expenditure.
“The education budget has increased by more than $2 billion since the NSW Liberals came to government – a point lost on Labor,” he said.
“First of all I am proud to support autonomy of local schools, which is opposed outright by Labor, and recently in the State Budget the NSW Liberals delivered Gonski reform school funding.
“Included in the Budget is $230 million of additional funding across all school sectors as part of the ‘Gonski agreement’.
“Importantly, this Budget delivers on NSW’s commitment to fully fund its $1.76 billion commitment under ‘Gonski’.”
Mr Constance said the 2014-15 Budget provided spending of $10.7 billion on government schools, including $347 million for school maintenance as well as $400 million for capital works.
“Since March 2011, the NSW Liberals and Nationals government has committed almost $3.2 billion to school infrastructure and maintenance after years of NSW Labor neglect,” Mr Constance said.
“Funding of $1.04 billion is provided for non-government schools, an increase of four per cent on last year’s expenditure.”