Some of the Healesville High School staff participated in the state-wide rally against the government’s funding cuts to public schools.
Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian Branch started a series of rallies to fight against the Victorian government as the recently handed down budget revealed a delay in the state’s commitment to fully fund public schools until 2031.
AEU Victorian Branch president Justin Mullaly said that school staff are furious at the duplicity of the Allan Labor government and its funding con job.
“AEU members are rallying today (on Thursday 19 June) to demand the education minister fixes his government’s mess and acts to ensure every Victorian public school is fully funded. And we will keep campaigning and rallying until the funding cuts are resolved,” Mr Mullaly said.
“Right now, Victoria’s public schools are the lowest funded in the country, and our teachers are the lowest paid, with education support staff and school leaders undervalued.
“To deny this funding during a chronic shortage of teachers shows how out of touch the Labor government is. Valuing and respecting school staff through fair and decent pay is a key way to retain existing employees and attract the next generation to our profession.”
The AEU members at Healesville High School wore red in support of the rally, gathering at the front car park during recess time on Thursday 19 June.
AEU Healesville High School president Joanna Yates said Victoria’s public school communities are once again being asked to do more with less, as the state government continues to delay the full and fair funding our schools desperately need.
“Despite clear evidence of underfunding, more than $2.4 billion withheld from our students, education minister Ben Carroll and Premier Jacinta Allan have failed to commit to delivering the funding our schools are entitled to. This shortfall is not just a number; it represents fewer teachers, larger class sizes, and reduced support for the students who need it most,” she said.
“That’s why teachers, support staff, parents, and community members will gather outside Minister Carroll’s office in Niddrie on Thursday 19 June, and again at Premier Allan’s office in Bendigo on Thursday 3 July. Our message is simple: fix the funding mess. Our students cannot wait. Other rallies are planned in the following weeks, all over the state.
“School staff are being supported by the AEU to take local action and demand their state Labor MPs stand up for public education. School councils are also being urged to speak out on behalf of their communities. The stakes are too high to stay silent.
“Every child deserves a fully funded education, no matter their postcode. The time for delays and excuses is over. It’s time the government delivered on its promise.”
The Better and Fairer Schools Funding Agreement (BFSA) Head Agreement was signed in January 2025 by the Prime Minister, the Premier of Victoria, the federal minister for education and the Victorian minister for education, securing 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) for Victorian government schools by 2034.
Negotiations are continuing to finalise a bilateral agreement between Victoria and the Commonwealth that will determine the rate of investment and key reform activities.
Education minister Ben Carroll said the government’s 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.
“We will fund government schools at 75 per cent of the SRS, delivering increased funding in stages during the term of the agreement,” he said.
“Building schools is an investment in our kids’ future and we have the largest school building program in the country. Our $18.5 billion investment over 11 years has seen 123 new government schools funded and delivered more than 2300 school upgrades.
“The Victorian Government is currently finalising these discussions with the Commonwealth. As they are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The agreement also builds on the work already underway in Victoria to embed evidence-based teaching and learning in classrooms, including Victoria’s approach to reading, which includes 25 minutes of daily systematic synthetic phonics instruction for all students in Prep to Grade 2 to be fully implemented by the start of 2027.
Star Mail is aware other schools are planning to participate in the rally.
