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SRC rally misses the target

21 February 1996

By Marina Carman CANBERRA -- Student Representative Council (SRC) members from a number of ACT high schools and colleges held a rally here on February 16 attended by more than 400 students. The main speakers, SRC students from Lake Tuggeranong College, expressed views that were in stark contrast to a student rally held the previous Wednesday. The earlier rally was organised by a broad range of students and the newly formed open committee Students Against the Cuts with the aim of supporting the ACT teachers and other government workers' current campaign against the public sector and education funding cuts being carried out by the Carnell Liberal government. Claiming to speak for a united student body, the Lake Tuggeranong SRC students presented the arguments of those determined to see public education dismantled and the movement to defend it divided. Tapping into student anger over the loss of work experience, school formals, camps and other extracurricular activities due to the bans imposed by the teachers' union, the February 16 speakers strayed dangerously close to blaming teachers. They called on teachers to negotiate with the government and push for a quick resolution, ignoring the fact that all unions involved in the ACT government dispute, including the teachers, have proven their willingness to negotiate. It is the government which is refusing to budge. Stromlo College students who felt that teachers were being victimised were denied access to the speaking list and barred from the delegation to meet Carnell. The blame for the current disputes lies clearly at the feet of the government. In this instance, students' and teachers' interests are the same -- to stop the government's attacks on education. Students from 15 colleges and high schools are now planning an all-schools rally to oppose the cuts, to be held on February 21 at 9.30am in Civic Square.

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