AEU's Gonski ads to hit TV today

The Australian Education Union’s Gonski advertising campaign will hit Free-to-air TV and Pay TV today letting Australians know the benefits needs-based Gonski funding is delivering to schools.

AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said that securing bi-partisan support for full Gonski funding was essential to ensuring every child received a quality education.

“Educating our kids must be above politics – we need bi-partisan support for needs-based Gonski funding.

“Every child who needs help at school should be able to get it, regardless of where they go to school or what background they come from.

“Malcolm Turnbull must commit to funding the full six years of Gonski and match Labor’s commitment to an extra $4.5 billion in resources to schools in 2018 and 2019.

“We need bi-partisan support for the full six years of Gonski. This will deliver funding straight to the schools and students who need it.

“If Malcolm Turnbull fails to fund Gonski in full, he is failing our kids.

“We know that 1-in-7 15 year-olds struggles to read properly, and 1-in-5 struggles with basic maths .

“We also know that disadvantaged students are five times more likely to be poor performers than students from wealthy backgrounds.

“It is not in our long-term social or economic interest to let these children leave school without the skills to get a job or lead a successful life.

“Gonski funding delivers extra funding to all schools, but delivers the biggest increases to schools which educate disadvantaged students.

“Our new advertisements will be shown on Free-to-Air and Pay TV in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and regional NSW from today.

“They are backed by a print and digital media campaign nationally letting people know that Gonski funding is working on the ground.

“We know that Gonski funding is lifting results and helping kids, and we are running this $2 million advertising campaign because Australians need to know too.

“Schools which are receiving Gonski funding are getting the resources for more one-on-one support, smaller classes and targeted literacy and numeracy programs.

“All these things are making a difference to student results and making sure all our kids get the skills they need for work, is an investment in Australia’s future.

“But we need the full six years of Gonski funding to make sure all schools have the resources they need for their students to succeed.

“More than half the extra funding in the Gonski agreements is due to be delivered in the last two years. That’s why it is crucial Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t abandon disadvantaged students by stopping Gonski after 2017.

“This advertising builds on our target seat campaign which has seen full-time co-ordinators working on the ground since July last year to build support in local communities.

“Polling shows there is strong public support for Gonski funding, we just need our politicians to get on board and understand the benefits Gonski is delivering.

“The AEU is committed to campaigning for bi-partisan support for needs-based Gonski funding up until this year’s Federal election. Gonski is too important to give up without a fight.

Media Contact: Ben Ruse 0437 971 291