Chris Bonnor and Bernie Shepherd write in Inside Story (2.6.16) about the absence from much of the federal election campaign of a concerted focus on education policy and the issue of schools funding.
‘We all know the election campaign’s school-policy script because we’ve been here before. We’ve seen the promises – to Gonski or not to Gonski, what it all costs, where the money comes from – and anyway, who says money makes a difference? Policy initiatives haven’t entirely been absent: six-year-olds will be tested (why should they miss out?) and school kids will all learn to swim. Profound stuff indeed.
‘But what about the many significant problems that are being furiously avoided during these weeks?’