Blue Mountains News

The public meeting, hosted by Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman was attended by teachers from the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury as well as school and student leaders, parents, and members of the community

“We are fortunate to have many wonderful schools in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury, with dedicated teachers and engaged students, but increasingly all of those three layers are being asked to do more with less,” Ms Templeman said.

“Public schools teach two in three of all school students, and the overwhelming majority of Australia’s neediest children: 82 per cent of the poorest children; 84 per cent of Indigenous children; and 74 per cent of children with disabilities.

“This public meeting was about giving the community an opportunity to ask questions about our schools and education policy, and how it will impact us locally,” she said.

“Labor has announced its historic $14 billion funding boost for public schools, if we win the next election.  That will see an extra $16.54 million for schools in the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains in the first three years.

“That funding will benefit all our public schools, from the smallest primary schools with only a handful of students, to our larger high schools.

“We know education has a transformational effect, not just on individual students, but entire communities.

“It’s hard when politicians talk about dollar figures, for people to picture what that will really mean for them and their families.

“For all our public schools, this incredible funding boost will be available for resources to be used in the classroom, for extra aides, or for specific projects as the schools see fit.

“Individual schools and their communities can see exactly how much better off they will be over the first three years of the funding model, under a Labor Government via a new Fair go for Schools website.

“This will give each school an estimate of the extra funding it can expect in the first three years of Labor’s plan,” she said.

“It was wonderful to see and hear from so many people, whether they were teachers themselves, students, P&C representatives, parents or simply interested and concerned members of our community.

The Town Hall meeting was recorded live and is available to watch at on the Tanya Plibersek Facebook Page.