AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF
GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS
FULLY FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
WHY NOT NOW?
Press Release #1060
A new grassroots campaign calling on the Australian Government to fully fund public schools to the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) has been launched under the banner:
“Fully Fund Public Schools: Why Not Now?”
THIS IS A MISSION TO COLLECT ENOUGH SIGNATURES SO THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CAN NO LONGER IGNORE THE URGENCY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DEMANDS
For over a decade, successive federal governments have admitted that public schools are underfunded. Despite bipartisan agreement to implement the recommendations of the Gonski Review, governments continue to delay implementation, with current commitments pushing full funding out to 2034.
For students currently attending public schools, this means spending most, if not all of their schooling in underfunded classrooms.
The Why Not Now? campaign is a community-led effort aimed at changing this trajectory. Central to the campaign is a national paper petition calling on the Australian Government to immediately fully fund public schools to the SRS.
The campaign has set an ambitious goal: to collect more signatures than any petition ever tabled in the House of Representatives. The record currently stands at 1,210,471 signatures. With more than 2.6 million students enrolled in public schools nationwide, organisers argue that this target is achievable, but only with broad community involvement.
• CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
The campaign is now calling for volunteers to help build a national, grassroots movement in support of fully funded public schools.
Volunteers are needed in a range of roles, including:
• Signature Collectors: Helping to collect petition signatures at schools, community events, street stalls, and through personal networks
• School or Regional Coordinators: Recruiting and supporting local signature collectors,
coordinating petition sheets, and acting as a point of contact for school communities
• Logistics and Admin Support: Assisting with scanning petition sheets, data entry, record[1]keeping, and general coordination
• Community Organisers: Helping to connect the campaign with parent groups, school
councils, local organisations, and events
No prior campaigning experience is required.
Why Not Now? is not aligned with any political party. It is led by school communities, parents, teachers, students, and supporters who believe that public schools should be fully funded now, not in another decade.
However, as the next federal election approaches, the campaign aims to keep public school funding firmly in the public eye and to make clear which candidates support immediate action and which are prepared to accept further delay.
Contact:
To volunteer, request petition materials, or find out more about getting involved, contact:
fullyfundpublicschools@proton.me
Listen to WHY NOT NOW? on the DOGS program on 3CR
Interview Broadcast @ 12.00 NOON, January 17th 2026
https://www.3cr.org.au/dogs/episode/special-new-why-not-now-campaign-and...
Listen to the DOGS program on 3CR
855 ON THE AM DIAL: 12.00 NOON SATURDAYS http://www.3cr.org.au/dogs
