"The vast body of educational research shows the most important factor in ensuring good student outcomes is high quality teaching, not the size of the class," Lara Giddings, Budget speech, June 16, 2011.
The average class size in Tasmania will remain below 25, a target which was set by the previous Labor Green government.
It is important to remember that, as is the case every year, class sizes fluctuate with enrolments.
The Hodgman Liberal Government has invested a record $1.4 billion in education this year.
As a Government we have had to make some difficult decisions to improve the budget bottom line for future generations.
This was not an easy decision, and it was one we tried to avoid with a sensible pay freeze offer that was rejected by the Australian Education Union, Labor and the Greens.
That has resulted in an average reduction of about one teacher from each school.
However, we do not waiver from our commitment to improve education in Tasmania and we will make every effort to ensure this has a minimal impact on learning outcomes.
It is the height of hypocrisy for Labor to criticise any changes in education when Labor won't commit to reversing our sensible reductions on the size of the public sector.
Labor can't have it both ways. They can't oppose the reduction in the size of the public sector on the one hand, while on the other refuse to restore public sector numbers if they win the next election.
Labor has no policies, no plan, and no credibility.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
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