Plibersek says not enough is being done for Indigenous Education

Shadow Minister for Education and Training, Tanya Plibersek, has spoken out in response to an recommendation by special envoy for Indigenous Affairs, Tony Abbott, to increase the pay of teachers, including Early Childhood teachers, in remote areas, to increase participation in education for Indigenous communities.

Ms Plibersek cautioned that under Abbott’s Prime Ministership, $500 million was cut from programs to support Indigenous Australians, describing the period as “chaotic when it came to remote service delivery in remote Aboriginal communities”

Saying she was very supportive of sending experienced teachers to remote communities, Ms Plibersek said the Labor Party was “not just supportive of teachers going to remote schools, we managed to extend preschool education for four year olds to remote communities as well.”

Ms Plibersek said the Federal Government’s current funding formula “leaves children in the Northern Territory worse off by tens of millions of dollars.”

Seeking to end the meeting on a positive note, Ms Plibersek was asked about the goals she had achieved in 2018. She responded by saying  “I think it’s been a great year. I’m very proud of the policy development process we’ve had this year in the Labor party and the very many positive announcements that we’ve made – better preschools, schools, TAFE, university”

Further information about access to early learning in the Northern Territory can be found here.