❓ The WA Premier responds to a question regarding the federal government's flagpole funding conditions for schools, criticising the politicisation and pledging state funding without those conditions.
AnsweredQoN 207Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the Premier detail the state government’s response to the Howard government’s politicisation of the flagpole funding to schools? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
Everyone in Australia today is outraged by the information that the federal government is placing a condition on the funding of flagpoles in schools throughout the nation. The ridiculous nature of this political condition was very well illustrated by the federal member for Cowan, our former colleague in this Parliament, Hon Graham Edwards. I will not have Western Australian schools politicised in this manner. I have made it clear to all schools throughout the state, be they government or non-government, that if they wish to upgrade their flagpoles or build new flagpoles, the government will provide the funding. The state government will also ensure that the school community makes the decision about the flag ceremonies, not a federal government hell-bent on establishing its will throughout Australia, despite established conventions, the federal tradition and the diversity that makes Australia the great place it is today. I have made it clear that that will be the case. There is a simple message for the federal government today from right around Australia. The Australian flag belongs to all Australians. Commonwealth money is not owned by the federal government; it is the people’s money. The way it is spent should not be linked in this way to narrow political purposes. I am very pleased that the Western Australian government will provide funding for those flagpoles, and will not have the conditions that the federal government is imposing on it. I will make sure that this federal politicisation of schools does not happen in our state.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: Everyone in Australia today is outraged by the information that the federal government is placing a condition on the funding of flagpoles in schools throughout the nation. The ridiculous nature of this political condition was very well illustrated by the federal member for Cowan, our former colleague in this Parliament, Hon Graham Edwards. I will not have Western Australian schools politicised in this manner. I have made it clear to all schools throughout the state, be they government or non-government, that if they wish to upgrade their flagpoles or build new flagpoles, the government will provide the funding. The state government will also ensure that the school community makes the decision about the flag ceremonies, not a federal government hell-bent on establishing its will throughout Australia, despite established conventions, the federal tradition and the diversity that makes Australia the great place it is today. I have made it clear that that will be the case. There is a simple message for the federal government today from right around Australia. The Australian flag belongs to all Australians. Commonwealth money is not owned by the federal government; it is the people’s money. The way it is spent should not be linked in this way to narrow political purposes. I am very pleased that the Western Australian government will provide funding for those flagpoles, and will not have the conditions that the federal government is imposing on it. I will make sure that this federal politicisation of schools does not happen in our state.
Everyone in Australia today is outraged by the information that the federal government is placing a condition on the funding of flagpoles in schools throughout the nation. The ridiculous nature of this political condition was very well illustrated by the federal member for Cowan, our former colleague in this Parliament, Hon Graham Edwards. I will not have Western Australian schools politicised in this manner. I have made it clear to all schools throughout the state, be they government or non-government, that if they wish to upgrade their flagpoles or build new flagpoles, the government will provide the funding. The state government will also ensure that the school community makes the decision about the flag ceremonies, not a federal government hell-bent on establishing its will throughout Australia, despite established conventions, the federal tradition and the diversity that makes Australia the great place it is today. I have made it clear that that will be the case. There is a simple message for the federal government today from right around Australia. The Australian flag belongs to all Australians. Commonwealth money is not owned by the federal government; it is the people’s money. The way it is spent should not be linked in this way to narrow political purposes. I am very pleased that the Western Australian government will provide funding for those flagpoles, and will not have the conditions that the federal government is imposing on it. I will make sure that this federal politicisation of schools does not happen in our state.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: Everyone in Australia today is outraged by the information that the federal government is placing a condition on the funding of flagpoles in schools throughout the nation. The ridiculous nature of this political condition was very well illustrated by the federal member for Cowan, our former colleague in this Parliament, Hon Graham Edwards. I will not have Western Australian schools politicised in this manner. I have made it clear to all schools throughout the state, be they government or non-government, that if they wish to upgrade their flagpoles or build new flagpoles, the government will provide the funding. The state government will also ensure that the school community makes the decision about the flag ceremonies, not a federal government hell-bent on establishing its will throughout Australia, despite established conventions, the federal tradition and the diversity that makes Australia the great place it is today. I have made it clear that that will be the case. There is a simple message for the federal government today from right around Australia. The Australian flag belongs to all Australians. Commonwealth money is not owned by the federal government; it is the people’s money. The way it is spent should not be linked in this way to narrow political purposes. I am very pleased that the Western Australian government will provide funding for those flagpoles, and will not have the conditions that the federal government is imposing on it. I will make sure that this federal politicisation of schools does not happen in our state.
Everyone in Australia today is outraged by the information that the federal government is placing a condition on the funding of flagpoles in schools throughout the nation. The ridiculous nature of this political condition was very well illustrated by the federal member for Cowan, our former colleague in this Parliament, Hon Graham Edwards. I will not have Western Australian schools politicised in this manner. I have made it clear to all schools throughout the state, be they government or non-government, that if they wish to upgrade their flagpoles or build new flagpoles, the government will provide the funding. The state government will also ensure that the school community makes the decision about the flag ceremonies, not a federal government hell-bent on establishing its will throughout Australia, despite established conventions, the federal tradition and the diversity that makes Australia the great place it is today. I have made it clear that that will be the case. There is a simple message for the federal government today from right around Australia. The Australian flag belongs to all Australians. Commonwealth money is not owned by the federal government; it is the people’s money. The way it is spent should not be linked in this way to narrow political purposes. I am very pleased that the Western Australian government will provide funding for those flagpoles, and will not have the conditions that the federal government is imposing on it. I will make sure that this federal politicisation of schools does not happen in our state.
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