NSW Government tells federal ministers that campaigning in schools will not be tolerated

Updated

The New South Wales Government has warned federal MPs against breaching rules that prohibit them from using classrooms for political purposes.

NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli has written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott warning he will strengthen the rules if they continue to be flouted.

The letter raises concerns about a visit to Five Dock Public School by former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who campaigned there with the local MP John Murphy on Friday.

The letter says media were specifically asked not to film Mr Rudd's visit inside the school but were invited in to record him addressing the school assembly and a press conference held in the school library.

Mr Rudd's office denies he has done anything wrong.

"Neither the NSW Minister's office nor the federal Minister's office have contacted Mr Rudd's office to express concern about this specific visit," a spokesman for Mr Rudd said

Federal Education Minister Peter Garrett told the ABC's Insiders program that it appeared Mr Rudd and Mr Murphy's visit had breached protocols.

"The protocols are there for a reason," Mr Garrett said.

Last week, the Queensland Government banned Mr Garrett from visiting two Brisbane schools because Ms Gillard had used a visit to a state school the previous day to launch an attack on Premier Campbell Newman for not signing up to her Gonski funding plan.

The Federal Government is targeting Victoria as the next state it believes it can get over the line following South Australia's decision to sign on last week.

Mr Garrett has welcomed what he says is a change in attitude from Premier Denis Napthine towards the proposed changes.

"After saying we were dudding schools ... [Mr Napthine] is now saying that he's willing to sit down and engage in a negotiation with us," Mr Garrett said.

Changes to allow the Commonwealth to boost funding to the states for schools will be debated in Parliament in the final sitting fortnight beginning tomorrow.

"My expectation is that it can and should travel through the Senate in the time that's available," Mr Garrett said.

The Federal Opposition says it will honour any national school funding agreement struck before the September 14 election, but will repeal the changes if one or more of the states or territories do not sign on.

Milne wants Labor leadership 'soap opera' settled

Greens Leader Christine Milne says she is looking forward to passing the funding changes for schools, but urged the Labor Party to resolve its leadership issues.

She told Sky News that she has no doubt there are serious internal Labor discussions going on about who should lead the party.

Senator Milne says Mr Rudd would probably provide a boost for Labor in the polls, but it may be a short-lived "honeymoon" period.

She says the distracting Labor leadership "soap opera" is overtaking policy discussion.

"There's no doubt, as they said in The Castle, 'It's the vibe', and the vibe is certainly there," she said.

"Even people in the Labor party are saying [the leadership is] being seriously discussed, so who knows what will happen."

Mr Murphy yesterday called for Ms Gillard to stand down in favour of Mr Rudd.

Topics: education, business-economics-and-finance, federal-government, elections, government-and-politics, australia, nsw

First posted