Don't be Fooled

From Adelaide Now

Public schools are facing a further $73 million of budgeted education cuts over the next three years, despite the State Government scrapping its controversial workers' compensation levy.

The proposals, outlined in last year's State Budget and which "remain on the table", equate to each of the state's 600 preschools, primary and secondary schools potentially being more than $120,000 out of pocket until 2009-10.

As predicted in The Advertiser yesterday, the State Government removed the 1 per cent levy on schools to help pay for the Education Department's workers' compensation scheme, which would have reaped it $17 million over three years.

However, the education fraternity remained concerned about the impact of other department "savings" listed in the 2006-07 Budget.

Of most concern to schools are "efficiency dividends" paid to the department, which purport to raise $32.5 million over the next three years, $18 million for losing the benefit of earning interest on unspent funds, and a surplus teacher levy of $17 million.

The Government has also budgeted to save a further $6 million from energy and water-saving efficiencies.

The Australian Education Union has postponed today's planned one-hour teachers' strike. However, industrial action was "not off the table".

AEU state branch president Andrew Gohl said the union would meet with the Education Department in the coming weeks to discuss its remaining concerns and would report to its members on August 17 to determine if further strikes were required.

Premier Mike Rann, who admitted the Government "got it wrong" by introducing the workers' compensation levy, said services or programs in the Education Department would not be cut as a result of its removal.

Education Minister Jane Lomax-Smith, in Budget estimates committees yesterday, could not answer what the Government's new savings target was after the decision to drop the levy, saying only that the Government would strive to reduce WorkCover claims.

She maintained reform of how WorkCover applied to schools had to occur, but it was yet to be proven if savings could be made in that area.

So good. One part of the plan to dismantle public schools reversed. The State Government is still looking for $73 million in efficiency dividends (cuts) over the next three years. That is a lot of paper and pencils.