Most of the Tasmanian government’s $228 million in planned education savings will come from schools, according to Labor.
Documents released under Right to Information laws show $192 million of the total, about 84%, is drawn from the “In School Education” budget line over four years.
Labor leader Josh Willie said the figures showed the savings would reach the classroom.
“The documents show that a shocking 84% – or $192 million – of the $228 million cuts to the [education department] will come from ‘In School Education’ alone,” he said.
Willie, who taught before entering politics, said the state already recorded the weakest education results in the country and the changes would only add pressure.
“As a former teacher, I know our teachers rely on an ecosystem of support around them and our schools cannot do more with less,” he said.
He said the department was cutting 150 jobs, including IT support roles and that this would flow through to schools.
“If you’re going to cut IT workers, that means that there are less IT workers to support teaching and learning in classrooms when they’re already stretched,” he said.
Willie said Education Minister Jo Palmer had not explained how schools, staff, students and families would be kept from being worse off.
Palmer rejected the criticism and said the savings were being found in the back office, not the classroom.
“The constant lies and fearmongering are doing nothing to support our learners,” she said.
The Department for Education, Children and Young People’s briefing documents outline the measures as operational efficiencies.
To meet the first-year target, they say “a reduction of around 10% in corporate and enabling functions is an appropriate starting point”.
The documents say priority is being placed on “protecting frontline capability, particularly services that directly support children, young people and schools”.
Government minister Bridget Archer said all departments were being asked to help repair the state’s finances.
“That’s why we have been very clear that we need to find efficiencies in our budget so that we can continue to invest in those essential services over the long term,” she said.
The savings increase over four years, starting at $25 million in 2026-27 and reaching $78.2 million by 2029-30.
