Frankgol, we don't generally seem to be on the same side, but in this case i am with you, except on the last point.

It is the handouts they think will gain the most votes that drives Little Johnny's policies. It is a pity that the other mob have been such poor money managers in the past, otherwise it would be no contest.

David

Howard and Rudd are funding their porkbarrelling with GST funds that have been held back from the states. Remember that GST taxes were to be raised by the federal government and the moneys distributed to the states so the states could retire stamp duty, land tax and payroll taxes. The states have been starved of funds needed to operate public schools, hospitals, build roads and provide public transport.

Howard tossed money at orangutans, obviously he thinks they are more valuable than Dr Cannold's pride and joy.

The federal government will fund private schools with 12 students indefinitely, but states have to close public schools that have less than 20 pupils.

There is a fear that the Howard pork barrelling will encourage the flight of middle class parents from the public school system, leaving public schools without an active parent base to provide the facilities like toilet paper, soap, working bees that public schools need to survive.

My previous post mentioned my personal reasons for choosing independent schools, and the consequences to our standard of living because of this. The reasons are far deeper than the facilities offered, and in fact the school my son is at has fewer facilities than the one my daughter is at, but better results.

The main reasons for the difference compared to public schools are:
- The teachers are more accountable for the results,
- The fact that sacrifices have been made to attend generally ensures active participation by the parents, and they generally strive to get the most out of it.
- The pupils and parents are aware that attendance at the school is not a right so disruptive children are more easily controlled. This enables the teacher to spend his time in teaching not in crowd control.

And these apply to the $2000 p.a. church schools and the $20 000 p.a. top of the range private schools.

Those that want to force the independent schools to:
- take disruptive children
- not to pay teachers more
- stop scholarship schemes for the disadvantaged bright children,
are not trying to improve the public system or provide opportunities but simply trying to drag down the independent schools.

The tall poppy syndrome reigns supreme. “if I can’t have it, neither can you” attitude is pure spite masquerading as socialism and should have no place in this country.

Fix the public system not by trying to throw money at it, but simply introduce some of the factors that make the independent schools better, and then the exodus from public education may slow or even stop.

I am sorry, but Dr Leslie Cannold, you are lying by misrepresenting the funding for public school. In NSW, public schools get 72% of the state funding while only 65% of students go to public schools.

I am amazed to note the byeline at the bottom of the article, which says in part:" Dr Leslie Cannold is a researcher...and medical ETHICIST at the Centre for Gender and Medicine at Monash University." This mendacity appears to be a singularly blatant lack of ethics to me.

""We can't afford it," I replied. He won't ask again. "

THAT is hilarious.
Private schools start at less than $2000 a year.
Even the elite ones that charge $24,000 offer generous scholarships.

I cannot afford a private school for my son.
However, I still send him to one. The part-scholarship he gets helps.
The extra hours I and his mother work helps. The cheap car I drive helps. Not having holidays outside my city helps.

Yes, I sacrifice a fair bit for my child. That is what parents who care about their children do.

"Dr Leslie Cannold is a researcher, writer, commentator and medical ethicist at the Centre for Gender and Medicine at Monash University. She is the author of The Abortion Myth: feminism, morality and the hard choice women make (1998/2000) and What, No Baby? Why women have lost the freedom to mother and how they can get it back (2005). She is also President of Reproductive Choice Australia."

You are better educated and in a better occupational and financial state than I am. The difference, Lesley is that I care about my child.

Whilst I do agree with many of your points, tommybob, I do think the last comment is a little harsh. I'm sure that Dr Cannold cares about her son very much.