Anthony Albanese has been ordered to stop “playing politics” with schools, as he commits $440m towards better ventilation, building upgrades and mental health should he win the election.
The Opposition Leader will take a brutal swipe against the Prime Minister in an address to the National Press Club on Tuesday, calling his government the “slackest in living memory”.
Mr Albanese is expected to take aim at Mr Morrison for failing to deliver a national back-to-school plan, before making his own huge election promise, which would involve schools deciding where the money is most needed.
But, Acting Education Minister Stuart Robert has called for Labor to apologise for “seeking to politicise the reopening of schools”.
“The Morrison Government condemns Labor’s bald-face attempt to politicise the reopening of Australian schools. The medical advice is clear that it is safe for Australian kids to go back to school,” Mr Robert said.
“One week out from Australian schools reopening, Australian parents deserve better than Anthony Albanese using his national platform to scare them and their kids and undercut the reopening plans.
“The public health advice is clear, schools are safe for kids. Thxjmtzywe only person suggesting otherwise is Anthony Albanese.”
Under Labor’s $440m pledge, schools would be able to access grants to improve air quality by buying air purifiers, building more outdoor classrooms or replacing boarded-up windows.
“This is something the Morrison government should have already been doing to make sure schools are safe for our kids and teachers to return to,” Mr Albanese will say.
“The states have done a great job in picking up the slack of the slackest government in living memory.”
Mr Albanese will outline that money could also go to upgrading facilities – including new and refurbished school buildings and trades training centres.
Schools could also allocate the money towards extra counsellors and psychologists, school camps, excursions or sporting and social activities.
“Every Australian school stands to benefit from this investment. And the schools themselves will decide how to use the extra money to best help their students,” Mr Albanese will say.
“Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly tells us that Covid will be with us for some time, so we need to act and adapt.
“(It) means making our schools safer and better prepared for what is ahead; Scott Morrison apparently can’t think as far ahead as next week, but Labor is planning for the future.”
The Morrison Government say they are continuing to work “constructively” with all states and territories to reopen schools safely.
But, Labor’s Education spokesman Tanya Plibersek said state governments were doing the “best they can” to get schools ready for term one, but there was a larger issue at play.
“I think that the real lack here is in national leadership from Scott Morrison,” she told ABC Breakfast.
“This is something that he could have been working on with the states and territories for months now. It’s no surprise that school was going back!
“School funding has always been a shared responsibility and it would be great to have a Prime Minister who was as interested in making sure that kids can go back to school safely as their parents are. Their parents are beside themselves.”
Mr Albanese will also use his speech to say Australia Day this Wednesday is a good moment to “reflect”.
“To consider our blessings as a nation and celebrate them,” he will say.
“Perhaps that is more important now than it has been for decades.”
He believes there are five main lessons learnt from the pandemic, including that more things should be made in Australia rather than overseas.
“To be more self-reliant and to back Australian businesses, so our fate isn’t held hostage to global supply chains,” he will say.
The others will include a strong public health care system, a high-quality NBN and affordable childcare.
“An Australia with rising living standards across the board, lifted by more secure work, better wages, stronger Medicare and cheaper childcare,” he will say.
