THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF STATE AID:

NEXT INSTALLMENT

In Press Release 130 ( pr130.htm ) DOGS informed their readers that we had been approached by Brian Caldwell to participate in the project on the History of State Aid to non-government schools initiated by the Federal Government.  We have now received a reply from a Deputy Secretary from the Federal Department of Education, Science  and Training called Mr Bill Burmester, to the letter sent to Ms Lisa Paul .

We note  the following in his reply:

1.    The aim of the project is to provide the Australian community with an appraisal of the history of State Aid to non-government schools. He noted that while there are a number of histories on the development of schooling there are no readily available references on the history of State Aid that draw together the numerous threads of this issue into one volume. \

2.    The Department conducted a select tender process and received three propositions offering quotations. Professor Caldwell's submission was chosen ahead of the other two.

3.     The Department identified the following requirements for potential suppliers:

             a) provision of research services to produce a final draft either as the author or as an editor assembling an appropriate team of subject specialists. A 350 -400 page history of state aid to non-government schools in Australia.

             b) using mostly secondary sources, with some new oral evidence from key participants in the field their research project is to cover the origins of state aid in Australian schools and its evolution since the Second World War covering key periods of reform including but not limited to 

                           i. colonial origins

                           ii.  the Menzies reintroduction

                          iii.   State Aid under Whitlam and Hawke    

                          iv.   High Court Challenge ( DOGS case) ;

                           v.   State  Aid Reforms under the Howard Government (!!!!!!!)

4.         The project commenced in October 2005 with a first draft of the project material due to the Department by the end of March, and a final draft due by the end of May 2006.

It is anticipated that a book resulting from the research project will be available in the latter half of 2006.

Both the Minister and Bill Burmester are encouraging the DOGS to accept Professor Caldwell's invitation to participate in his research. He added that it is an " exciting project."

DOGS have responded to this letter as follows:

Mr Bill Burmester,

Deputy Secretary,

Department of Education, Science and Training

Dear Sir,

REQUEST FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON HISTORY OF STATE AID TO NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS PROJECT

Thank you for your letter dated 20 February 2006 in which you provided some answers to the questions raised by our letter dated 25 January 2006. In this letter we wish to follow upon a number of issues raised by our first letter and your reply.

1.         Balanced Views.

            Unfortunately it appears from your letter that you failed to consider our sixth question . Is  there, in the project brief, provision for a balanced view?

            Was there any such requirement in the “tender”?

2.         Background of Professor R.J. W. Selleck?

            We are trying to assess whether your successful tenderer contains a balanced number of    persons in relation to the writing of this official history. Professor Caldwell’s team   contains a number of persons whose profile we are able to discover. However, there is one person where this is not available. Yet he appears to be the educational historian in the group.

            Could you please provide us with details of any connection which Professor Selleck has with the private school or Roman Catholic schools or systems in Australia or overseas.  Could you provide these details in relation to Professor Selleck in his various capacities as student, parent, consultant, advocate, commentator or writer.

3.         What is the tender worth?

            Could you please inform us how much money is being set aside for the payment of this   project?

4.         Details about Other Quotes.

            From you letter we deduce that there were two other quotes. Can you inform us of the names and connections to any institution or organisation of the tenderers together with any other details.

Yours sincerely,

RAY NILSEN

PRESIDENT DOGS

 COMMENT:

DOGS will be contacting the NSW Teachers Federation and the Federal AEU to suggest that a history "from below" should be written by genuine supporters of public education who opposed State Aid is needed on the history of State Aid and its effects. Australia can do without an official account  of Mr Howard's  so called "Reforms" approved by his Minister.

DOGS WILL KEEP READERS INFORMED ON THE ABOVE MATTER.

For further discussion on these matters, listen to 3CR, 855 on the am dial

at

12.30 p.m. next Saturday.