Victorian teachers plan to escalate their fight for more government funding of state schools

Australia Broadcast Center

31-05-2025

Victorian teachers are considering mass rallies targeting the premier, education minister and treasurer in response to what they say is massive underfunding of public schools.
Earlier this month, Nine newspapers claimed the government had ripped $2.4 billion from school budgets by delaying its commitment to the Gonski education reforms by three years.
The Age reported the savings were signed off by the premier.
Jacinta Allan denied her government had withdrawn from its Gonski funding commitment.
The Australian Education Union Victorian branch has written to all state school teachers outlining plans to escalate their campaign for better funding, including asking parents to join in mass emails to Ms Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll, as well as public rallies.
Branch president Justin Mullaly said those rallies would be outside school hours and would target the offices of Ms Allan and Mr Carroll, as well as Treasurer Jaclyn Symes.
"The government has been duplicitous," Mr Mullaly said.
"On the one hand they say that they are promoting the education state and that they're going to fully fund public schools, yet they're not actually planning at all on delivering the money for that."
Mr Mullaly said the rallies would also target other senior MPs, but no dates had been set for the action.
"We don't do this lightly; we don't engage in activities like this just at the drop of a hat," he said.
"This is in response to a complete failure of the state government to deliver the funding the students in our schools need and to provide the resources that teachers, principals and education staff support need."
The government said Victoria signed an agreement with the federal government in January that would secure 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) for Victorian government schools by 2034.
"Our priority is — and has always been — that every child, no matter where they live, has access to a world-class education for free in a Victorian government school backed by full and fair funding," Mr Carroll said.
He said the state government would provide 75 per cent of the SRS, which would see increased funding in stages during the term of the agreement.
"The Victorian government is currently finalising these discussions with the Commonwealth," Mr Carroll said.
"I will not be negotiating with the Commonwealth through the media."