Kevin Foley Arrogant Childish and Cocky??

This is the nice man who is deciding how much money Public Schools should get. Personally I think that he should enter into debate rather than ranting and belittling people. A little humility and politeness would reflect well on Members of Parliament.

From Adelaide Now

Labor has admitted a plan to destroy the credibility of Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith was behind the attack by Treasurer Kevin Foley.

Mr Foley, one of the Government's "attack dogs", this week went close to provoking a parliamentary crisis by accusing Mr Hamilton-Smith of lying on Thursday in a hearing of the Budget Estimates Committee.

Parliament faced the prospect of being recalled to deal with moves to suspend Mr Foley for failing to observe standing orders before he withdrew the accusation.

Mr Foley, however, continued launching verbal missiles at Mr Hamilton-Smith throughout the remainder of the hearing.

Similar tactics were employed the previous day by Transport Minister Patrick Conlon, when he was questioned by the Opposition Leader on infrastructure.

Mr Foley has been at the centre of a series of high profile political rows, including allegations he verbally abused deputy Liberal leader Vickie Chapman and had a confrontation in the parliamentary bar with No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon.

Earlier this year, he became embroiled in a confrontation with parklands protesters in Rundle Mall over plans for the $55 million redevelopment of Victoria Park racecourse.

He claimed protesters had pushed him and abused his then partner, Emma Forster.

Labor sources said yesterday the Government believed Mr Hamilton-Smith was "all over the shop" with his statements and often appeared to contradict himself.

"All we are trying to do is show Marty has no idea of where he is going and will just make a statement off the top of his head to get a headline," one said.

Another source said Mr Foley's comments were a reflection of the fact "he doesn't suffer fools gladly".

There is growing disquiet on the Labor backbench, however, about the Government's tactics with women MPs, questioning if it presents a good look for Parliament.

Liberal sources said the Foley attack in Parliament was "the biggest leg-up they could ever give us".

Ms Chapman said she was "disappointed that a Treasurer responsible for a $12 billion Budget should have the audacity and cheek to walk out".

"I think his behaviour was childish and unnecessary and I think the fact he came back in demonstrates someone higher up told him he should go back and start answering questions," she said.

Long-serving independent MP Bob Such said the latest incident was just one of a series which had added nothing to the esteem of Parliament in public eyes.

"My advice to Mr Foley is to just cool it a bit," he said. "It is not a good look for either him or the Government. There is already a sense in the community that the Government is getting a bit too cocky."

Mr Xenophon said he felt Mr Foley was "full of bluster" and Premier Mike Rann should take his Treasurer aside and tell him he had "overstepped the line".

Kevin Foley Speaks with Forked Tongue

Nothing here about taking $90 million dollars out of Public School Budgets. How are the kids in Primary School and Secondary School now, going to highly skilled if the State Government plans to take so much money out of individual school budgets. They will have to do a lot of end of education remedial work to make up for all the deficiencies, which will become apparent, long after the horse has bolted.

As for the Premiers Reading Challenge, it will be more and more needed as more and more resources are denied to underfunded school libraries. The reading challenge will be where have all the books gone? The Premiers Be Active Challenge is a poor brother replacement for real money, which was withdrawn last year to support sport and physical exercise at school. In reality it is delegating a program that used to be funded within the school to parents, where physical exercise is documented rather than encouraged within the curriculum.

» What’s New? » News - South Australia
SA’s future – education skills and knowledge

June 7, 2007 - Press Release

A plan to prepare the State’s school leavers for highly skilled job opportunities in South Australia is the centrepiece of the Rann Government’s 2007-08 State Budget investment in education.

Treasurer Kevin Foley says the Government has injected an extra $4.7 million to enhance the Trade Schools for the Future initiative, bringing support over the period 2006-07 to 2010-11 to $29.5 million.

“The trade schools will deliver high-end practical trade skills to senior students, preparing the State’s young people for work while they complete their SA Certificate of Education,” Mr Foley says.

“The first three Trade Schools for the Future are being developed this year in northern Adelaide, western Adelaide, and the Eyre and Upper Spencer Gulf regions.

“In addition, the Government has committed to increasing the school leaving age in 2009 to ensure all young people are in school, training or work until they turn 17.

“Overall, the education budget provides, on average, $11 204 for every Government school student.

This represents an increase of $708 per student annually when compared to the 2006-07 budget (or 6.7 per cent).” Mr Foley says.

Highlights of the education and training investment over the next four years include:

* $31.4m for redevelopments and upgrades in 14 more schools and preschools in collaboration with the Australian Government’s Capital Grants Program.
* More than $1m extra for Education Adelaide taking its State Government funding to $5.9m over four years so it can further enhance SA’s education exports and help build Adelaide as an international education hub;
* $3.4 million to upgrade dental teaching facilities at the Gilles Plains TAFE campus;
* $1.225m over four years for the Northern Advanced Manufacturing Industry Group, which will assist with putting skilled workers into the industry.


Treasurer Kevin Foley says it’s a budget tailored to build skills and knowledge.

“Last year’s State Budget featured a massive investment in new education initiatives, including our ‘school to work’ reform program, which included a $54.5m revamp of the Year 12 certificate.

“We have vast job opportunities in the State – and even more on the horizon – with a boom in major mining, defence and construction projects.

“The focus on building skills and having young people ‘learning or earning’ has been unrelenting.

“Since our first day in government, we have made it a priority to have young people in school, training or work, investing in school retention initiatives and raising the school leaving age from 15 to 16.

“We have progressively built on that work through a major review and reform program to update the South Australian Certificate of Education.

“Our Education Works initiative is investing in six brand new super schools and approaches to education that expand subject choices and opportunities for students.

“In the critical early years of education, we are setting up 20 Children’s Centres across the State, bringing together child care, preschool, school, health and family services at the one location.

“In addition, we are rolling out initiatives to improve food choices in school canteens and get children active through the new Premier’s Be Active Challenge.

“The Budget also features a range of innovation and research initiatives to build the State’s knowledge base and help build Adelaide as an education hub.” Mr Foley says.

Initiatives in the 2007-08 Budget include:

* A further $4m over four years for research and development through the Premier’s Science and Research Fund, taking the total program to $16m over four years enabling the SA Government to more strategically invest in environmental, economic, social and health research and development projects; and
* $2.4m over four years to establish the SA headquarters of the Cooperative Research Centre for Seafood and the SA nodes of four other CRCs.
* In addition, $5 million (2006-07) has been allocated for the purchase and initial upgrade of the heritage Stock Exchange building so that it can be developed into a contemporary centre for science.

The upgraded building will house the Royal Institution SA and potentially the Australian Science Media Centre to create a focus for science awareness activities in SA.

Published: Monday 18 June 2007
Source: Government of South Australia website
Contact: Hon Kevin Foley MP treasurer@saugov.sa.gov.au
Related Link: For more information on this press release, please visit the SA goverment's website http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=1717

Labor Betrays Public Schools - Sandra Kanck

Original Message-----

SANDRA KANCK

SA Democrats

Member of the Legislative Council of South Australia



Thursday 14 June 2007


LABOR BETRAYS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The latest cuts to schools show that Labor is not serious about quality public education according to Democrat MP Sandra Kanck.

“Last year the Rann Government showed its mean streak by cutting funds to small schools and trying to cut aquatics and music education.

‘This year Rann’s agenda is to shift the responsibility for funding Workcover onto schools.

‘The net effect is a 1% cut in salary allocations with big schools losing up to $200,000.

‘Schools will have to cut curricula and support staff.

‘Pre-schools will have to choose between employing a teacher or an early child care worker.

‘There will be cuts in libraries and computers.

‘This Government is running down public education while it pumps funds into Carnegie Mellon and other private institutions and spruiks feel-good gimmicks like the Premiers’ Reading Challenge.

‘Education is our greatest investment in the future – the skills imparted by our teachers will be creating wealth long after most of the mines have closed.

‘I endorse the education rally at Parliament House today. I know that teachers do not take this sort of action lightly,” said Ms Kanck

Open Letter to Dr Jane Lomax Smith

On behalf of the Kilkenny Primary School Governing Council, on behalf of other public schools, I am writing to invite Education and Children’s Services Minister Dr Jane Lomax Smith to our next governing council to explain to our school community how to comply with the draconian financial impost she is forcing on public schools in South Australia.

The governing council is fully aware of, and remains supportive of, the need for financial stringency, but it is clearly apparent, despite Dr Lomax Smith’s statement to the contrary, that public schools have been significantly disadvantaged financially since the introductions of Partnerships 21.

Public schools will need to cut budgets by tens of thousands of dollars. These are some of our options:

• Cut the amount of SSO/student contact time or cut Guided Reading Programs;
• Cut the furniture replacement programme or library resource purchases;
• Cut the ongoing upgrade of computers;
• Cut subsidising excursions and external performances to all students;
• Cut music programmes or the supply of resources to education programs;
• Cut access to the Life Education van;
• Increase school fees to replace the lost income.

Where does this policy fit in with South Australia becoming the Education State? All of the above are of vital importance in providing the support, equipment and programs that are essential in assisting our students to prepare for and become sound members of our community. I’m sure Dr Lomax Smith would be welcome at many other governing council meetings.

Colin Campbell
Secretary
Kilkenny Primary School Governing Council

This was published in the Weekly Times Messenger on June 27 2007. We plan to personally invite some of the politicians to come and explain to our Governing Council why this is good public policy and to make suggestions on what programs to cut.

Letter to Members of State Parliament

I sent this letter to all Members of State Parliament. I will keep a record of who responds and I will be interested to hear anyone who will stand up and say that this is good public policy.


Dear Member of State Parliament

As an officer of a Public Primary School Governing Council, in the Adelaide suburbs, I am appalled that the Labor State Government is planning
to make our children pay for your government's so called efficiency dividends. Why should public education and student learning again suffer at the hands of
politicians and bureaucrats?

Is the South Australian Labor Party plan for Public School Education, Dumb and Dumber (Better Go Private). How can members of a Labor Party philosophically support policies that are by default undermining public schools and making more people seriously consider private schools.

It is my understanding that currently the State Government is proposing to remove $72 Million from the Public Schools in the next three years. Based upon information provided by our Principal, the impact is
anticipated to be $20,000 to $30,000 per year. It is my understanding that similar cuts, proportional to the size of the school will face all public schools in South Australia.

The State Government trumpets South Australia as a state supportive of
education and the development of skills for the new economy. In what way does cutting funding for public education fit into this plan. Is this a back door plan to force kids into Private Schools or enormous Super Schools?

At the same time as supporting
huge tax breaks to private US Universities, you and your
government are stealing from the most valuable resource that this
state has, children. How much more do you want to take out of class room resources and support staff. Indeed, why shouldn't our kids share in the prosperity of a booming economy after the years of denial brought about by the financial
stringencies that followed the state bank disaster?

These cuts will be felt most dramatically in areas of most value to
our children in teaching resources and programmes. It makes me very
mad that you would support this. Public schools are already
underfunded and need more resources, not less

In plain terms, for our school this could mean increases in school fees, reductions in Guided Reading to one day a week, no new computing upgrades, reductions in Front Office Support, reductions in maintenance budgets, reductions in Library Budgets, withdrawal of subsidies for activities and excursions, increases in School Fees, reduction of budgets for classrooms and other discretionary spending. The list is very long. If you are comfortable with this, then do nothing. If not, please do something. These types of impacts will affect all children who attend Public Schools anywhere in South Australia. All schools are facing the same types of cuts.

The current back down that has made on the proposed cuts on the Work Cover Levy is only a small part of the overall proposed reductions to schools funds and while good, should not have been proposed in the first place.

As a professional working in Adelaide, I regularly see how difficult it is to find suitably qualified and trained employees. I fail to see how reducing funding for public education helps to turn this around.

So my question to you as a Member of the State Labor Government and presumably as a supporter of these cuts in funding for public education, can you please tell me, my family and all the other families with children in State Public Schools in South Australia, why you support draconian cuts in funding for Public School Education.

I have listened to Dr Jane Lomax Smith, the Minister for Education try to defend the indefensible and am not convinced that a good argument has been made for implementing these cuts.

I am just looking for somebody to stand up and explain to me why this is such a good idea. I can then explain to my kids when their programmes and resources are cut back.

Make Public Education exempt from your budget cuts and 'efficiency dividends'.

Shame on this State Labor Government.

Don't steal from kids.

I am happy to provide a street address and telephone number if you would like to communicate with me in another way.

You are also welcome to take a look at my blog that I developed to focus on this issue. I would welcome your feedback.

http://salaborlollyjarthieves.blogspot.com

Thank you for your time

Colin Campbell

How to Contact State Politicians

You can go to the State Government Web Page and get all the information you need to communicate with State Politicians.

This page has all the politicians and their contact information. It is also on the side bar.

Our Governing Council Letter to Parents

KILKENNY PRIMARY SCHOOL GOVERNING COUNCIL


3 July 2007

Subject: State Budget Cuts and their effect on our School

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Your Governing Council Representatives wish to alert you to the State Governments current proposals to slash funding to Public Schools and specifically Kilkenny Primary School and the effect these budget proposals will have on our school. Currently the State Government is proposing to remove $72 Million from the Public Schools in the next three years.

As many of you may know, our Principal has been given a set of guidelines to determine the actual cost of the proposed budget cuts, and has determined that the cost to Kilkenny Primary School alone could be in the vicinity of $30,000 less money every year, to spend on Curriculum (and therefore the resources and activities which enrich our students learning).

In plain terms, this could mean reductions in Guided Reading to one day a week, no new computing upgrades, reductions in Front Office Support, reductions in maintenance budgets, reductions in Library Budgets, withdrawal of subsidies for activities and excursions, increases in School Fees, reduction of budgets for classrooms and other discretionary spending. The list is very long. If you are comfortable with this, then do nothing. If not, please do something. This will affect your children if they attend Public Schools anywhere in South Australia. All schools are facing the same cuts.

The current back down that has made on the proposed cuts on the Work Cover Levy is only a small part of the overall proposed reductions to schools funds. As a community the time for us to act is now, before these proposed budget cuts are finalized. If we do not let the politicians know loudly and firmly that these proposals are not acceptable, our school will be forced to work on an even more restricted budget, and therefore our children’s learning will suffer.

On behalf of Governing Council I would like to urge you to be an active participant in whatever ways you feel comfortable in letting politicians know that their proposed budget cuts are ill-informed, and will have a drastic negative impact on Public Schools and specifically Kilkenny Primary School. The following is suggested language that you could use. Please personalize the message with your own name and any issues that you believe are important. The more people that respond to this, the more the State Government understand that their budget cuts are widely disapproved of, and will be an enormous mistake.
A copy of an example letter is provided on the other side of this letter.

Based upon our experience individual contact with politicians is very valuable in making our case.

Yours Sincerely,


Deanna Isles
President
On behalf of Kilkenny Primary School Governing Council

Example Letter

Dear ______,

I am writing to you to express my enormous disappointment in the poor decisions that have been made in terms of budget cuts towards education by your political party. My child/children’s school leader has determined that our school, Kilkenny Primary school, will lose in the vicinity of $30,000 per year if the budget cuts are implemented. This loss of money will come directly from the Curriculum budget, and will have a significant impact on the schools ability to purchase new resources, to replace resources such as computers when they need to be upgraded, and a reduction in the extra activities which enrich the education of our children. If you value public education, you will not go through with any of these ill-informed budget cuts, as the effect that it will have will be devastating to the public school system.

I would like to receive a response from you letting me know how you intend to address my concerns.

Yours sincerely,

Name of correspondent

Some people that it would be pertinent to send messages to include:

MP for Croydon Education Secretary Premier Treasurer
Michael Atkinson Dr. Jane Lomax-Smith Mike Rann Kevin Foley
Member for Croydon Member for Adelaide Member for Ramsey Member for Pt Adelaide
488 Port Rd 84 Prospect Rd 40-42 Commercial Road 70 Dale Pl
Welland 5007 Prospect 5082 Salisbury 5108 Adelaide 5000
croydon@parliament.sa.gov.au adelaide@parliament.sa.gov.au ramsay@parliament.sa.gov.au ptadelaide@parliament.sa.gov.au

Please also talk to, write to or email your own Member of Parliament.

Other parliament email and address information can be found at the SA Parliament website.

Please also visit the following website, maintained by a Governing Council Member and School Parent. A copy of the letter is on this site and can be copied and pasted into an email or letter.

The website address is http://salaborlollyjarthieves.blogspot.com

Please remember that these cuts will affect all Public Schools, not just Kilkenny Primary School, so if you support public education or plan to send your children to Public Schools, this is important.

You can make a difference. Please do your bit to support Kilkenny Primary School and all Public Schools.

Thank you.