MEDIA RELEASE                                             Tuesday 3 December, 2008

Jobs At Risk Unless Schools Assistance Bill Passed
Independent Education Union Alerts Members




The Independent Education Union today emailed 16,000 of its members asking them to contact Opposition Spokesperson for Education Christopher Pyne and Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull, urging immediate passage of the Schools Assistance Bill.



The text of the email follows:



Dear Member,



The Schools Assistance Bill is presently before the Federal Parliament. This Bill provides funding for non-government schools for the next four years.



Non-government schools have to receive, sign and return contracts before the end of this year for money to flow in 2009. This can only happen if the Schools Assistance Bill passes without delay.



Unless this happens, 144,000 jobs in the non-government school sector across Australia are at risk.



The Federal Opposition is blocking this Bill because of unfounded concern about the National Curriculum.



In the email members are asked to send a letter to Mr Pyne requesting immediate passage of the Bill. The letter says holding up the Bill in the current economic crisis is “unconscionable”.



It says that if the Bill is not passed and staff in non-government schools are stood down, “the blame will fall squarely on the Opposition”.



The Independent Education Union, which represents more than 28,000 members throughout NSW and the ACT, does not have any difficulty with the requirement to commit to a National Curriculum as specified in the Bill.







For media queries contact: IEU General Secretary Dick Shearman, 0414 234 156

                                               Media Officer Tara de Boehmler (02) 9779 3200, 0421 238 914