Somewhere well past the front page of your Murdoch rag you may find some mention of Pyne dumping Gonski, in direct contravention of his and Abbott's gold-plated pre-election promise. None of the front-page outrage reserved for the smallest mis-step by Labor.

Pyne's confected justification, demeanour and body language as he minced away from the spotlight made me outraged to the point of feeling physically sick

good hopefully the quality of education and teachers will improve instead of wasting more billions on ideologies that don't address the broken system.

Copy that runner,

Looks like Pyne is following the pre-election script and throwing in a bit for the States who didn’t sign up. After the period that the former Government funded, it looks like all bets are off.

I particularly like the moves to test teachers before we test their students, what a damn fine idea!

I'm all for improving the quality of teachers
but firstly they need decent class-rooms
in which to teach and it's rather hard to do
especially in certain areas of the country -
when the temperatures hit over 50 degrees in summer
and the classrooms have no air-conditioning.

We were told that Gonski was the most comprehensive
review of school funding in 40 years and it was
designed to make the system better for all kids
because it called for funding to be allocated based
on the needs of the student - which sounds fair,
and was supported by both sides of politics prior
to the election.

I can't help but wonder whether the schools that
Mr Pyne's kids attend, whether their classrooms
have air-conditioning, whether his children's schools
have things like - assembly halls, gymns, sporting
facilities, libraries, and all the other things that go towards
making their education more enjoyable.

There's only so much a teacher can do if the very basics are
missing. And as it is, the now diluted program may only
be introduced in 2015 - if the schools satisfy the government's
requirements. This doesn't say much for the current
government's school's funding.
And it is a shame because an investment in our children's education
is an investment in our nation's future

why is it with the massive increases in funding over the last 20 years there has been a dumbing down of the system. No one ever addresses the issues just like Indigeneous affairs. The mantra is alway 'lack of funding'. Always the convenient mantra to hide the obvious.

I have always had reservations about Gonski but I would have liked to have heard about supposed improvements by some other than Pinus Priviligatus.
SD

Dear SD,

Perhaps this might help:

http://theconversation.com/ditching-gonski-whats-so-unfair-about-funding-based-on-need-20795

We all know the education model is broken.

So simply throwing money at something that is obviously broken is not the answer.

Nothing to celebrate here.
And nothing to surprise most.
Abbott,s commitment was solid.
But his words crafted to win an election now proved a lie.
Labor was ready to fall, Liberals unready to govern.

I worked in the Education Sector in Victoria until very recently (retrenched). The noise about Gonski and what deal was going to be struck to get denis the menace to sign was rather vocal. Teachers wanted it, those in the administration were rather keen too.
Now we see that Gonski along with several other ALP initiatives will be, 'reviewed' and improved. See also slashing budgets.
Political grandstanding and lying, and to generations of up and coming voters. Let alone those of use who already vote!!
BTW just how are Indonesia and China Mr Abbott, all going well??

Liar Liar Liar.
Election now! Election now! Election now!

Isnt so funny when the shoe is on the other foot is it rightards?

Perfidious pyne and Phony tony have been exposed as frauds and con artists and along with their sterling ability to anger our neighbors and trading partners they have shown themselves unfit to govern and are well on the way to entrenching themselves as Australia's next "worst government ever" and that is without mentioning their propensity for theft of their entitlements or their deception re the "debt emergency".

I told you so.

[Deleted for abuse.]

What is it about conservatives and education, I suspect it can be traced back to their primeval roots when educating the masses was seen as inviting disaster. Educated people think, thinking people question, questioning people react. The last thing conservatives want is educated, thinking people questioning their capitalist system, heaven forbid the next thing you know an educated class will be calling for equality and justice for all, and we can not have that.
But then there is a problem running a modern capitalistic system, it cannot function like the old systems with masses of uneducated simple minded "slaves" to make the capitalist rich. Now here is the rub, modern capitalism requires educated workers to operate, yet that goes against the philosophy. People like Abbott will always have a problem when it comes to education, spending money on the undeserving, yet finding it necessary to do so. Now if it was a question of spending on militarism the conservatives have no problem, protection of capital is paramount.

Don't you all mean 'GONSKI'S', because there are several versions, determined only by the level of desperation from madam Julia in her dying days as a failed leader.

But hey, why let the truth get in the way of a good story!

The mad monk was rock solid on his commitment, but then again he was in con mood. The election was based on lies that bold the people of au were conned.
Abbott and his agenda will come forward, with workplace reforms, pretty much as predicted.
As yet they have done nothing, but whinge and make bad blood.

579,
Lies ? Why, Abbott didn't promise to fail the education system ?

579, we will soon be forced to make some serious choices, workplace reforms or business failures, resulting in mass job losses.

If you don't believe me, just keep watching.

Foxy Foxy Foxy, you are letting yourself be fooled my sweet.

In my early years I went to school in hot hot Townsville, in a single skin unlined timber school, with a tin roof. We had at least 35 in each class, but the teacher had a cane.

I don't recall him using it, & was never a recipient, but we all knew it was there, so discipline was excellent. I can still receipt my tables, & do mental arithmetic quicker than most can use a calculator.

All the kids I did senior school with knew more at 16 than any of my kids at 17, & my kids were all in the top 12%, [OP 1 to 3] in Queensland.

It has nothing to do with the classroom, & everything to do with the class. The class of the teacher that is.

Here in a large 1600 student near city, country school, there is only one teacher who could pass an exam on Math C or Physics. In fact I doubt either of the other 2 senior math teachers could pass a Math B exam.

The ladies, [I use the term loosely] who have taken over education in Qld are very serious about Performing Arts, Media Studies, & rounded, [does that mean fat], human beings, but have little interest in subjects they don't understand like Math.

Any more money is sure to give us bigger & better stage management systems, but little improvement in the 3 Rs, when most of our teachers don't have them, & management is not interested.

Surely you would like our kids to be able to read the bus timetable, & make change for the ticket, without electronic help.

What did the coalition promise with respect to the gonski reforms.

To keep the funding promised for the first 4 years (about 20%) for the states that had signed agreements with the previous regime. (which now turns out to include only NSW and Queensland, as labor had lied about finalizing the agreements with the other states)

To remove the bureaucratic systems that Labor had included.

So far they are doing exactly what they said they would do.

Many on the other side may think me a fool.
No worry,s some times I would agree.
But the last week in politics has lifted me sky high.
See my thoughts are being shared this morning on the ABC almost every one admitted Labor lost the election.
Abbott just was in the right place at the right time.
But unready to govern.
Pyne? he has stepped in some thing smelly, he has lost even Liberals weary of his actions and constant smirk.
Gonski is gone but we are in for an interesting ride in 2014.

Another non core promise. Makes Don Rumsfeld and his knowingly unknown seem tame. Why? Abbott has lied and now he's spent some quiet time learning new lines.

The treatment of Australians by this Government is all rather shoddy.

To all those who were sucked in at the core and made a judgement call on whether or Abbott had changed.....well he hasn't changed, just continuing where John Howard left off. More Pain from Pyne and Co

You voted for them and we all get to suffer, so you think your vote doesn't count......think again!

You voted for them and we all get to suffer, so you think your vote doesn't count......think again!
very curious,
Curiously enough many thought exactly the same when the morons got voted in six years ago & yes many of us did suffer the consquences & will continue to suffer for some time yet.

To those worried about our immediate future. If you can see something wrong with our future, so can our govt; So why the wait, get on with the business of fixing what ever is wrong. This govt; has done nothing but upset our trading partners and decimate our schools. How about getting on with governing our country. People here can see gaping problems looming, but our govt; does nothing about it. One of the two are wrong.
Or is Abbott incapable of it, and doesn't know what to do. On the other hand the people here that can see these shortfalls are wrong.
Abbott is in the box seat and must shoulder 100 % of the inaction.

I worked with the F/T with AEC in the 1990's "Individual" Saw and did more about voting, non voting, multiple voting and voter education, than you can imagine.
You vote for whom ever you want, I will do the same, but don't come the tough nut about a political party who have lied so soon after being elected on a mantra of fairness and then take it away in the manner Pyne has done.
The Libs played a large number of the Australian population for 'suckers' Nothing has changed from the Howard regime to your blue tie buddy Abbott.
The lack of respect shown by the libs is frankly astounding. So I have my opinions and you have yours.
I have no time for the Libs at all and their two faced antics!
cheers

curiouser and curiouser:

I find it strange that Noobs pop up to criticise the government when they waver even slightly from their promises, but suffer extreme amnesia about the complete failure of labor to keep any of their promises, and more often than not, do exactly what they swore a blood oath not to.

Generally Noobs are invented to cover a veteran poster who has too much baggage to make such silly claims without exposing his gross hypocrisy.

Perhaps its the fact that anyone who dares to criticise the wonderful blue tie set and their wonderful government on 'their blog'. Now now this is a democratic blog, not liberal party fundraiser.

Petulant children stomp their feet, whine and carry on when they want their own way. This is a blog not a kindergarten for petulant liberals to run around and insist their story is the only story. Now run along can't you here the luncheon bell toll, time to put those silver spoons to work.

CV,

This is also not a Labor party fundraiser. (you just have to join a union and have your dues stolen for that)

I take your aversion to commenting on Krudd's and Juliar's deception as an acceptance of their unmatched continuous lying.

Welcome to the club of left whingers who rigorously defend their democratic to right to make things up and fatuously post whatever pops in their head.

very curious,
I can understand that you get uptight about being reminded of failures but I couldn't help noticing that you didn't deny that many of us are still suffering from the effects of the morons' policies.

very curious

were you Poirot in a past life? You are rusted to the same rhetoric.

Reckon you're onto something, runner?

Sorry to disappoint you, but I've been suspended until now.

I have to say that my little break from the forum was like a breath of fresh air - nice not be tempted to engage in poisonous squabbles with people I don't respect.

In fact, it was so enjoyable that I intend to make it a permanent arrangement.

So just returning for now to say cheers to those on OLO whom I do respect (they know who they are).

Adieu

........

(Yes, otb, this time I mean it:)

Wow, Poirot, that is a sad blow to the kidneys!

I for one will miss u greatly - though I have to admit I was rather hoping for a return, in due course, of more of the wit, thrust and parry so reminiscent of the Poirot of old, the very 'soul of wit' I so enjoyed reading. (Perhaps the topics have just not been conducive.)

Life just hasn't been the same for a fair while - on OLO or elsewhere.
I miss those early days (in my OLO delving), of Poirot, Squeers, Pelican, Pericles and Lexi waxing philosophical on life, 'humanity', educational possibilities and even the very nature of consciousness.
(Though Squeers lost me entirely at times - but was never dull, and really put the grey matter to work. Whatever happened to him?)

Lately we have become far too engrossed with politics, economics and global warming - with an attendant tendency for diametrically opposed views (or innate or philosophically-based bias) to dominate the discussion and raise tempers. Such a pity.

Were we perhaps more content before Rudd and Gillard, and pre- NBN, Gonski and NDIS? Have these opened our eyes, or merely opened a new bag of 'worms'?
(Or, can the GFC have so shaken us out of our complacent slumber that we are now forever chasing shadows and pointing fingers?)

Life will go on, politics will be forever flawed, and not everyone will be happy no matter who is in power and no matter how hard they work to make Oz more prosperous or 'productive'.

I believe in a 'fair go', and in 'community', and would like to see a greater emphasis on these in business, law, politics, education, healthcare, housing, environment, development and infrastructure.
Ethics, 'quality' and moderation, and all for one.
And, have a spectacular Christmas.

Poirot, "Yes, otb, this time I mean it"

You will not regret escaping the rut. Sally forth and never look back.

Travel well, Bloke. :)

I caught the news the other night when the whole Gongski thing first broke.There was Bill Shorten making a visit to a western Sydney school
(his body language making him look for all the world like a sheepish schoolboy).

When one of the students asked him the predictable question: "What does it take to be a leader?"
Bill piped up with: "A leader must always tell the truth"
(a blatant bit of political point scoring at the expense of the kids!)

I thought, heck Bill, you've been spruiking Julia as leader for the last three years -and she made a habit of telling fibs!
Where were your principles then?

And, on that more important issue (raised by Saltpetre):
<<I miss those early days [of OLO], of Poirot...>>
Yep! I do too.The OLO of the last week was like an Ozzie barbie without the buzz of the ubiquitous blow fly!

Well the Tory,s here went off a bit early.
Its not a good look.
Backward steps proving someone Abbott or more likely Pyne the Princess is damaged by this.
Again shaky start for a new government and historic.
Not going to be surprised if in the long run Abbott is replaced by Turnbull, will however every concerned if it happens.
What a messy crew!

Somersaults, back -flips etc. If they're for the better than good. Far more competent a move than keeping on going with proven failure & expecting a different result i.e. ALP of recent past.

All the best to you Poirot. Saltpetre has said much of how people of thought regard you. Sorry to have missed whatever got you suspended for so long, must've been accurate. Save your spleen and Merry Christmas.

Luciferase (a la prochain, ailleurs, put etre?)

PS, Re the most recent flip on Gonski, or is it flop, http://theconversation.com/from-gonski-to-gone-to-gonski-again-school-funding-future-remains-uncertain-21025

After mounting public pressure the Tories have capitulated. The two front men with the third grade educations on this Abbott and Payne have had to appear in public with egg all over their faces to explain the back flip. Even their conservative state colleagues O'Farrell and Poccoli in NSW had berated them for their broken promise.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/nsw-education-minister-adrian-piccoli-rejects-return-to-broken-socioeconomic-status-model-for-schools-20131127-2yaa8.html

This was never about fairness and equality in education, but rather about the blind philosophy of the conservatives not wishing to see disadvantaged and neglected children in our society receive a quality eduction. The likes of Abbott would much prefer public money be appropriated to wealthy private schools to be used for swimming pools, tennis courts and excursions to the South of France than be used to provide much need resources to the underprivileged.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/gonskis-gone-school-funding-review-struck-from-record-20131202-2yljm.html

The review was the most comprehensive in 30 years. It took 20 months to complete. It spans 300 pages. It attracted an extraordinary 7000 individual written submissions. Five of the six panel members held the Order of Australia.

Not withstanding the above, we had a couple of third rate amateurs dunces in Abbott and Payne attempting to throw the lot out and replace it with their own load of garbage, masquerading as eduction funding.
Well, into the naughty corner for this pair of Bozo's. And with the end of the school year upon us it should be recommended these two repeat kindergarten in 2014.

What a mess we have with our con the people govt; Three months of indecision lies and backflips. Not a good look. We are in a state of confusion. Why can't they just stick with what the people of AU voted for. Trying to change the game after the election will go against Tony, and there will probably be a leader change.

Poirot, No, surely you are not going to let the conserves win, the jam tarts have their way, the usual suspects along with the rednecks. You always give them nothing no less than what they deserve.
If you do so choose to stop posting here then I say, good luck.

Paul and 579, what backflips?

The commitment was to honor the deal SIGN OFF ON to the states.
they didn't sign off.

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story guys.

When I read some of the ill-informed lefty comments above, my first inclination is to jump straight in and sort 'em out.

But then I think, nooooooooo, SPQR, you need to be more understanding. All these poor blighters were edificated in those dark,dismal pre-Gongskian times, and almost certainly didn't have time to learn anything other-than the basics (like Marxist dialectics and historical materialism and how it relates to class warfare). To illustrate my point take a look at this sorry attempt by one poor sod --who shaaall remain nameless! -- to count to ten: 1,4,0,5 --poor bugger!

Never mind though, with Gongski in place no one else will slip through the cracks. And with everyone hereafter receiving a thorough Gongskisk education future generations will be much much better informed. And that being the case, most would have enough sense to vote conservative ...leastways, I'm sure the Green vote would collapse!

Dear Poirot,

I haven't been reading posts for a while and only
now learned of your intention to leave OLO.
I'm hoping that you will change your mind further
down the track because you shall be sorely missed.
Please re-think, and give it time. However, you
know that you're wished All The Best. It has been
a pleasure sharing cyber-space with you. You've
been a voice of reason and intelligence.
Have a Wonderful Festive Season and a Great 2014!
Fingers-crossed that you'll be back.

So, for doing what he said he would do, sorry 'they would do' abbott and C. M. pain, sorry pyne want a medal for services to the community.

Watch out folks the lib trolls are out their radio 'shock jock' phone trees and onto the blogs/forums in valiant defence or deference of the blue tie set. Now if the good folks in Indo can make tony a blue shirt like the one our FM has and he'll be back to SBY sort of apologise for making a chump out of himself. Did say sort of, "by working methodically, carefully and honestly" sort of.

I challenge any one who is capable of independent thought to look at the mess Abbott is leading.
Compared to any past Liberal government his effort is very poor.
No government in the history of this country plunged so early in the polls.
And none deserved to more.
Abbott is so bad he just ,may need re vision mirrors in his cabinet by this time next year.

Belly,

Compared to the unmitigated cock up of the Rudd years and the continuous train wreck of the Juliar years, the coalition is doing wonderfully.

Most of the problems they are facing are the mess left by labor, from the debt, the Gonski stuff up, the spying, the boats etc, etc.

I see that Labor has voted to help the human traffickers, and are going to vote to keep the cost of living high.

Carbon tax, with no alternative offered we have to keep the carbon tax. Besides it will save Abbott heaps. With his $550 savings which will not materialise, he will be obliged to make good with the shortfall. 9 % doesn't add up to much, unless you have a ,5000$ power bill.
It is another pie in the sky statement from the con man of politics. Three weeks of parliament and nothing has eventuated they may as well have not started until the end of next year.
Gonsky shambles will be logged for future use. What is next. A DD election, as promised.

Now the conserve political apologists here have a new line, the "Claytons" backflip, you know, the backflip you have when you don't have a backflip. Well its backfired, and Abbott and Payne have been backflipping all over the place.
SPQR, did you receive a "well rounded" private school education, I can just imagine you, 3 foot tall in your neatly press short panted suit, school tie and straw boater firmly fix to your cranium, setting off for a days tuition at Sydney Grammar School, or was it SCEGGS

Shadow Minister one of us is wrong.
I remember your reaction to the very bad ALP polling, before the election.
You rolled around in them like a young Colt in its sand box.
If I wished to use nothing but todays polls.
To compare them Abbott,s team, to ANY past Government at this stage of its reign?

I just highlight the true nature of this government and let that picture of increasing failures is all that is needed to show the rest.

Can Abbott, Pyne, and Hockey handle the job. Howard is in Abbott's ear and Costello is pulling Hockey's strings. Pyne is bumbling around in the dark. Costello says further revenue shortfall has to be fixed urgently.
There was no rush to open parliament, yet we have an apparent emergency happening Costello says. Abbott spending money hand over fist with Pyne trying to keep up, Education, NDIS, All of Abbott's promises have to be funded, this is what the people of AU voted for. Pledges in blood, carbon tax. Costello, Howard, Who did we vote for. What a circus, complete with puppets and string pullers.
Three weeks of parliament has been nothing short of comical. What will be the next installment, of indecision and backflips.

Belly,

Actually, Juliar's government had polling fall much faster after she cheerfully announced that she was ditching her iron clad guarantee that there would be no carbon tax.

Note that in spite of Pyne's bumbling, the promises of the coalition are being delivered. the boats are stopping, the education funding is as good or better than the gonski shambles that labor left, etc.

Compared to the inability of the Australian Lying party to deliver on any of its promises, we are doing much better so far.

Yes Belly you are right to a certain extent.

Instead of the macho knight in shining armor, ready to rush in & slash & burn all those Labor catastrophes, Gonski, NBN, NDIS as the headline stupidities among all the rest, he is proving to be a bit of a milksop. So far he has thumbed his nose at the UN, brought Indonesia to heel to some extent reducing the boats, & pried the climate commission off the public teat, but he has gone to water on a few things that needed chopping off at ground level, with Gonski a prime example.

Lets hope the coalition is priming up a truly hard man, or woman, in the background. This softly softly approach may be good for reelection, but is a long way short of the medicine this country needs, to avoid becoming the Greece of the South Pacific.

So come on Tony, get out that battle axe, & start swinging, or history will know you as an ineffectual nice guy, not tough enough when needed.

I looked at the PISA tables and noticed that while Australia has been declining compared to the rest of the world, the greatest drop in student results occurred under Labor in the public schools.

With the highest real funding per pupil ever, Labor achieved the lowest results recorded, any sane person would have considered looking at what is wrong with our public schools. As with every other problem Labor just decided that it could be solved by throwing money at it.

What a useless bunch of cretins the previous government were.

Shadow Minister Sir you are an artist.
You in pure Abbott style took a truth and buried it deep under another not related truth.
Just about every current affairs show *has emphasized my facts*
No new Government in Australia,s HISTORY has plummeted so fast and so early after its victory.
Gillard had nothing to do with Abbott,s current polling.
And you know it.
Look, please do, at the Abbott speeches he has had removed from his web site.
Abbott,s actions are no less shameful than the Gillard ones you heaped scorn on.

Belly, this disastrous "government" is a three ring circus, short of being headed by the love child of George W Bush and Little Johnny Howard, The Mad Monk has to be the next best choice. So, give 'em 3 disastrous years and the voters will be baying for their blood.
579 you forgot to mention who's pulling the strings of The Mad Monk himself, none other that his holiness Archy Pell.
SM, any comment on your mob getting into bed with The Greens?

Paul it may well be that my views have me in trouble with my lifes loves.
So be it.
But as ALP lover that I am I warn blind love is harmful to both sides.
Right now if some one unaware of this country,s politics was given the job of writing about us, boy we would be shown up.
SM and his type are in the end, of no use to their party.
States and Federally they have more dumped ministers and shonk,s than NSW had.
Abbott,s form is so poor even his most stuck on mate most be concerned.
Turnbull must be grinning.

Belly,

Try reading what I posted, some of your reply makes no sense.

I would also try and read more than one poll. A few months ago you were crowing that Krudd had lifted Labor to the point were it was going to win.

Paul,

I agree, dealing with the Greens economic bottom feeders is distasteful, but it is preferable to dealing with the Labor Tea party trying to create havoc with a debt they created.

P.S. are the Greens still getting directions from the aliens via their alien whisperer "Brown eye Bob"?

Going Going Gonski. Backflips. Don't mess with the voters, the promise was made. Toe the line, Pell had something to do with that.
Unstable govt; indecision, foot in mouth, what next. Run away debt, this govt; was against any more debt now they want two hundred billion. What happened to their plan, as they told the AU people, or was that just election talk that didn't mean anything.
What about the 100 million a day we were reminded about, still ticking, debt clock gone missing, why hide it like boats.

You know 579, one posetive to come out of labors six years, is that it will be almost impossible for Tony and his crew to screw up so much, waste so much money and achieve so little, because if they do, will will be completely ruined.

Not long now before we find out exactly where labor has left us,(before Xmas says Joe) then, and only then, can Tony Abbott and his team begin the enormous task of rebooting confidence, rebooting our economy and repaying some of labors massive debt.

So dream on my friend and keep pretending that your useless mob left us in great shape and, if you should wake up one day, or should I say, wake up to yourself one day, there is always room on our side for lost soles.

Continually looking back, Abbott has done nothing to date, how long can we wait. Why burn up 200 billion, remember they had it fixed as they promised. Hockey and Costello are working on the same plan as Howard.
They had the plan all along so why the hold up. Don't know what to do, or trying to get around Abbott's big mouth politics. On the run.

Butch,

579's incoherent word salad is not unlike victims of serious brain damage.

The coalition has only been in power for 3 months, and already the Labor manufactured boats crisis is nearly over. Which makes one major promise already fulfilled.

The resolving of the Labor spying crisis is underway, as is the reduction in spending, the repeal of the carbon tax, etc.

Considering that Labor achieved virtually none of its promises, Abbott has already done better in 3 months than the Australian Lying party did in 6 years.

579 take a deep breath.
Do not treat that flow of untuths get you upset.
It is in the nature of one to twist truth.
*J W Howard was in power at the time of the east Timor spying thing.
Another has no intention of learning the truth if it hurts his side.
We, both sides need to make EVERY POLITICIAN ACCOUNTABLE.
Resent events on both sides give evidence they think we are all fools.

You know, one has to wonder just where the school halls money went, because after all said and done, our education standards have slipped since this program was implemented.

Now considering this, along with all the other stuff ups performed by labor, how could anyone in their right mind think the Gonski model would be any different.

Let's face it, the odds simply don't stack up.

You'l be saying where did Holden and Toyota go in a couple of years. Sounds like Abbott in his wisdom are not going to continue funds as did Labor after saying all car makers in the world are being propped up before the election. Joyce is on the skids, he done the same to jetstar.
School funding comes down to if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
What does Hockey want with 200 billion, after all their b/s they put over the AU people. Three months and nothing except bungles and bad blood.

Come on 579, no matter how much you pay, you still get school teachers, so you are stuck with monkeys no matter what.

Remember when primary school teachers did a 2 year teachers college course, & our kids were better educated. That should tell you something.

School teachers, over educated, overpaid, & underworked. About time they put in the other 6 weeks everyone else works doing something useful. How about painting all those now aging school halls?

With more and more females electing to work the kids miss out on home education as before, now teachers are defacto parents, but their hands are tied behind their backs. With the full blessing of the parents.
Teachers have to be multy skilled as never before, this also saps in school time and energy.
Times have changed but the education system is ignoring that and making do with a status quo as was the system of 25 years ago.

After Labor's incompetent government and the carbon tax, both Mitsubishi and Ford have left/ are leaving the country and apparently Holden as already decided to leave. This leaves only Toyota. As far as Quantas is concerned, the carbon tax is already costing more than $100m p.a. and is crippling other businesses such as refineries etc.

579, good for you on striving to get kids the education you so obviously lacked.

Good for you Shadow minister, you tell him. Insist you are always correct and everyone who can toe the line with your right wing posts is wrong and insult them..
Why is then the right wing posters and are always overly assertive and always aggressive when they push their political opinions on us. Born to rule is a pipe dream.

School funding comes down to if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
579,
I have watched education over the past four decades. In the 70's teachers moaned that they needed more funding. They got more funding & they continued to bleat for more money. These days they still use the same argument yet our kids & teachers are getting more dumb by the minute despite the fact that they earn ten times as much now.
This is sufficient proof that money can't buy brains. Try thinking. Hey, that'd be a good slogan for teachers !

support GONSKI.
But too understand we must pay more tot teachers teaching.
Should be no trouble there best out comes for our kids is after all want we all want.
Teachers federation is as radical as any union in this country.

I'm afraid that the idea of paying more does not translate directly into improved competence.
When jobs for secured employment & income gradually morphed into careers, the mongering started & the notion of service took a back seat.
Most of this started when the Goaf (he's just about the same age as Mandela) removed natonal service & laid the foundation for the me-society.
Academics seized the moment for self-importantce & glorification & 40 years on we reap what the Goaf has sowed. Of course it wasn't only here, it was a world-wide phenomenon by Academia callously exploiting the noble notion of democracy. In order to stay on top the whole education shamozzle was then geared to go into dumbing down overdrive and, it worked for a long time. Necessity is not only the mother of invention, it is also the arm that removes the blinkers when the vision becomes too impaired. That's the stage we're arriving at now. Just watch this space.

VC,

Stop being such a hypocrite, from the first post you (and the other left whingers) did exactly what you are accusing us of.

Labor was about implementing every thought bubble with no regard to the consequences. The carbon tax and IR laws have made just about every industry less competitive, and the results are plain to see. Large industries are struggling and closing down left right and center. From smelters to cars to planes, all are battling. With the GFC this was really not the time to do something so stupid.

On top of that Labor has spent hundreds of billions with nothing to show for it and the economy in a poor state.

"Labor was about implementing every thought bubble with no regard to the consequences. The carbon tax........."

SM, carbon pricing was thought through, from its effect on consumers, to the need for compensating them and for carbon credits for exporters. Your continuing "wrecking ball" assertion is rubbish and was back on "The carbon tax did it, oh yeah" thread.

Your bunch of cowboys make a "happening" look like an exercise in linear reasoning. What an absolute shemozzle!

PS boat lands on Christmas Is., shock horror! Where is the manic Murdoch media attack on border protection policy Labor so enjoyed/endured, or on this shemozzle of a government?

Your bunch of cowboys make a "happening" look like an exercise in linear reasoning.
Luciferase,
You mean like the morons did when people threw children overboard ?

The carbon tax should stay, with no alternative, and costs won't come down. It's not the carbon tax that is driving the cost of electricity it,s the market system they have. The cost of power changes every five minutes with risks at stake, that is driving the cost of power.

We need quality education for quality results, but when and why did responsibility for results shift from the pupils and the community to only the teachers - and as governed by their respective State and Federal overlords and the Unions pushing buttons behind the scenes?

On the one hand we have a prime focus on technology and media as learning tools - and certainly these can be extremely useful - but the effective use of these media relies heavily on sound literacy and numeracy skills.
Chicken and egg. The development of these essential skills is taking second place to 'delving' into the wonders of the media, and to gaining a 'gist' of a wide range of interesting but non-essential subject-matter.
Instead of students focusing on acquiring knowledge, their focus is directed to 'the means' - and on texting one-another or playing games online.

It is hard to believe that Asian students are gaining higher ratings in English than our students. How and why is this possible? It is an indictment, and an extreme embarrassment.

We see assemblies of Asian students singing their school or national song with pride, we see them wearing the school uniform with pride, and we see them gathering and moving in a disciplined and orderly manner - in and out of school and classroom.
Our comparison leaves a lot to be desired.
From small beginnings do mighty oaks grow, and our general social functioning almost ensures that growth will be haphazard.

Our parents have a responsibility to ensure that our schools provide the best possible grounding in the basics, and to ensure that their children take education seriously.
That's why the Abbott government wants local school boards (composed of parents, school principals and teachers) to exercise greater authority in determining school needs and direction.
No child left behind? How about giving serious and capable students a better chance to reach their potential, instead of drawing all down to the lowest common denominator?
More control and responsibility at the local level, or no amount of money will solve the problems inherent in our failing system.

Saltpetre,
we can't rely on parents to rectify the problem because we're already into the second generation of dumbed-down. It really is up to teachers to get together & for once use the power of their union to do something positive for the community rather than just fight for pay rises.
Get the union's support to lobby Governments to change some of the idiotic legislations which prevents teachers from seving out the odd dose of discipline. Stuff those parents who complain about their little crapheads playing up & disrupting everything.
The education unions could also be a great back-up for the introduction of a non-military national service.
Give something for a change istead of just taking. You'd be surprised at the dividends.

Lucyface,

Everyone is well aware of the left whingers' stance that the addition of significant costs to struggling manufacturing entities has nothing to do with the huge spike in closures. You also told us that there would be a surplus in 2012/13 and that the mining tax would pay for the $bns of handouts.

We know what you say, most of the voters, however, actually have a brain and are able to recognize this as complete BS.

We have got rid of an incompetent government who thought that all problems from the car industry to Gonski could be solved by simply throwing taxpayers' money at them. It is now time for adults to do the real work.

SM, I've said nothing you attribute to me. The rest of your post is the same pre-election assertion you now use to obfuscate this government's towering incompetence.

Your dumb cowboy outfit is a disgrace. Bring on a DD.

Yes Abbott did promise a DD election. So be it. He is happy to have 50,000 put out of a job. This govt; is useless in all aspects.

As for unemployment, it was about 4% under the coalition, and Labor left it at nearly 6%.

3 of the 4 car makers have left / are leaving because of Labor.

Labor's legacy is, record debt, high unemployment and a flood of illegal boats.