On 17 May 2007, National Public Education Day, Kevin Rudd and Stephen Smith issued a combined Media Statement entitled "National Public Education Day". This Media Statement was a blatant, self serving, political attempt to garner votes for the coming federal election.

Public Education : ALP empties Words of their Meaning

Their Release is a classic example of verbal nihilism. They emptied the words " National Public Education Day" and "Public Education" of both meaning and relevance.

National Public Education Day was only used once - in the title. The concept "Public Education" was only used once and that was in the third and fourth words of the first line.

Not surprisingly, there was no concerted promotion of the value and values of public education. The closest they got was in the first sentence, namely:

"A strong public education system is essential to achieve high quality educational outcomes and standards."

What is in this media Statement ?

DOGS counted two hundred and nine (209) words in this Media Statement.

One hundred and sixteen ( 116)  words or 56% related to a general re-hash of federal ALP Educational policy.

For example:

"The chance of quality education remains the best way for young Australians to maximise their potential and get ahead."

"If Australia is to compete in the 21st century global economy we need the best-trained workforce in the world."

"For this reason education is a critical economic and social investment in the future prosperity of our children and our nation."

 Media Statement Contains a Blatant Promotion of ALP Private School Policy

In reality, the Media statement which is supposedly about National Public Education Day, contains a blatant promotion of the ALP Private School Policy. Thirty four (34) words, or 16%  related to the private school policy. Here it is:

" Labor believes that parents have the right to choose where they send their children to school.. "

" Labor will not disturb the current indexation arrangements and will not take one dollar away from one school".

Factual Material on Public Schools

Forty four (44) words or 21% of  the Media Statement contains factual statements about government schools. For example:

" including investment in government schools"

"70% of whom attended government Primary and Secondary schools"

The closest reference to anything resembling the promotion of public education is contained in the first sentence above. This is a general reference only and is used as a springboard to assert their ALP policy of preferential treatment for "parental choice". This is the selfish private school catch cry which is directly opposed to the very foundations of public education - namely the common good.

For the ALP the ideals of our public education system are made subservient to the dominant  principle of sectarian private education.

The ALP no longer gives priority to the public good embodied in our public education system. Their Media release is an act of political opportunism at the expense of children in our public system. It is fraudulent.

At this stage the Federal Coalition did not even feel the need to even issue a Media Statement referring to National Public Education Day. No wonder their stakes in the polls are low!

Have both parties forgotten that children in public schools have parents who are voters?

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