Langbroek Turns His Back On Rural And Regional Students

Media Release 

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk says fresh from shutting down the travelling school for children on the show circuit, the Newman Government has failed to guarantee the existing structure of Queensland’s network of Schools of Distance Education

“In Budget Estimates hearings Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek failed to make a clear statement against centralising the network of Schools of Distance Education,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I gave him every opportunity to declare the SDE network would stay as it is and its staffing levels would be preserved, but he failed to give any such commitment.

“Instead the Minister said the Newman Government was keeping everything under review which, given their record so far, means job cuts and cuts to frontline services.”

Ms Palaszczuk said she feared the LNP government would centralise to Brisbane existing Schools of Distance Education in:

•  Cairns
•  Emerald/Rockhampton 
•  Charleville 
•  Charters Towers 
•  Longreach/ Mount Isa.

“I want to know what LNP MPs in those areas think of Mr Langbroek’s response and if they are satisfied that SDEs are safe from the Newman Government’s axe,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Langbroek must also reverse his callous decision to shut the Queensland School for Travelling Show Children which for more than a decade had educated children of parents working on the show circuit.

“The government took the decision to shut the QSTSC without reference to the school community and without giving notice of at least six months as required for closing a state school,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“The axing of funds in the State Budget for the QSTSC is yet another cruel cut by the LNP to a vital frontline service.

“The Education Minister has caused a crisis among show families by slamming the door shut on their travelling school.

“From next year he will be forcing the 40 to 50 students enrolled each year to instead undertake studies through the School of Distance Education.

“Their parents say that is not feasible because of the nature of their work and the fact they spend so much time on the road.

“At the very least Mr Langbroek needs to follow the process of the Education Act and give the school community sufficient notice if he intends to stick to his callous decision.

“That means any closure would not occur until mid-2013. I am calling on him to either reverse his callous decision to shut the school down or keep it open throughout 2013 to give show families a chance to make other arrangements for the children’s schooling.

“It is typical of the Newman Government that it simply refuses to listen to parents of young children before turning their lives upside down.

“I understand the travelling school costs around $1.5 million a year to operate.

“It is odd that the Newman Government cannot find funds for children’s education but can find $3.5 million in its first Budget to start planning the Premier’s new Executive Building in the Brisbane CBD.

“It also has no trouble finding $65,000 for charter flights for the Deputy Premier in just three months, the equivalent of $260,000 a year.”

Ms Palaszczuk said since being established in 1999 by the federal Coalition government and the state Labor Party government the school had operated with three mobile classrooms that followed the show circuit throughout eastern states.