23 May 2019

Jeremy Rockliff

2019-20 Budget: Putting our students first   

The 2019-20 State Budget is about maintaining the momentum and investing for growth, underpinned by record spending in education.

Education is a critical component of our plan to grow the economy, create jobs, invest in essential services and protect the Tasmanian way of life, which is why this Budget delivers a record $7.1 billion investment in education over the next four years – a $349 million increase from last year’s Budget.

The Budget includes $145 million in recurrent funding which allows for an additional 358 new staff including 250 new teachers; and $179 million in education infrastructure across Department of Education and TasTAFE facilities.

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to providing high quality inclusive education for all students, and supporting all Tasmanian Government Schools to become increasingly disability ready and responsive to student needs.

Changes identified through the 2014 Ministerial Taskforce to support children and young people with disability will continue to be progressed with an additional $34 million.

We are also determined to improve the literacy outcomes of Tasmanians, through the launch of the Literacy Framework and Plan for Action in 2019.

This is in addition to the provision of a Literacy Coach to every school which began at the start of this school year.

This Government is committed to better protecting our most vulnerable and at risk children through commitments such as Strong Families – Safe Kids and Safe Homes Safe Families. This initiative provides additional funding of $7.25 million Government schools to increase support for children and young people impacted by trauma and with emotional and behavioural challenges.

The wellbeing of our young people is one of highest priorities, and they will be supported by a focus on mental health and further investment in the school nurses program so that a nurse is provided to each Senior Secondary College through our School Nurse initiative. We have allocate $220 000 in 2019-20 for this purpose.

Six new Child and Family Learning Centres are budgeted for with $15.5 million allocated. The new Centres will be located in Sorell, Kingborough, Glenorchy, East Tamar, West Ulverstone and Waratah Wynyard communities, and will provide a one-stop shop for services to families with young children.

The Hodgman Liberal Government’s targeted investment in education, from birth through to year 12 and beyond, will ensure Tasmania has a job-ready generation of young people with the skills to participate in a modern economy.