NATIONALS candidate for Lyne David Gillespie said last week’s “publicity stunt” by the education unions was characteristic of Labor’s “dysfunction and ineptitude”.
“The local Teachers Association and Teachers Federation decision to organise for a mobile billboard to visit my campaign office on Tuesday afternoon left them red-faced when the truck failed to show at the required time,” Mr Gillespie said.
“In a characteristic display of Labor party incompetence, the much-promised truck was 50 minutes late.
“If they can’t even get their stunts right, how can we expect them to deliver on the big issues facing the community?
“It left the President of the Australian Education Union and his staff stranded and red-faced. I think they would be well advised to go back to teaching kids, rather than playing these silly political games.”
Mr Gillespie said he would happily arrange a time to meet the Teachers Association and the Australian Education Union.
“If they were serious about education they would dispense with these hollow and pointless stunts and arrange a time when I am available,” he said.
“Conveniently, earlier in the afternoon the Labor Party-led unions did manage a similar stunt at Chatham High school with the so-called Independent Member for Lyne Rob Oakeshott.
“This is just another example of why Labor and the Independents can’t be trusted on education.
“People will be relieved that those involved in last Tuesday’s shambolic stunt are not representative of the teachers that serve the Mid North Coast so well.”
Mr Oakshott said the NSW National Party Education Minister Adrian Piccoli was in direct opposition to the local National Party representative David Gillespie on this issue.
“Mr Gillespie is now arguing against local students and families, education data, me, the Prime Minister, the NSW Nationals and teachers,” he said.
“He is a bug in search of a windscreen on education policy. He is flying against all logical momentum for change.”
