"Mr Cullen's increase in funding to the education sector comes as no surprise, as he is only continuing along the same lines as countless previous budgets," says Peter Osborne, Libertarianz Spokesman to Deregulate Education. "This budget simply reapplies the policy of Steal and Bribe - you would think by now that people might have awakened to the fact they are being bribed with their own money."

"Without exception, every budget within my lifetime has seen an increase awarded to the education sector, and every year educational standards decline further. This trend has been most prominent in the last decade where the amount of tax money thrown into the State's factory schools has become staggering, as have the levels of illiteracy and innumeracy." Osborne notes that it seems that with the increase in funding, successive governments have made it their business to tighten their grip on education, removing the ability for individual schools to make decisions, and also removing the choice of parents and pupils to seek the best education possible.

Mr Osborne says, "This continuing interference by the State has been a complete disaster and is set to get even worse. The removal of individual freedom and responsibility will always end in disaster for everyone. This is plainly demonstrated by the many problems afflicting youth today; truancy levels, violent crime among youths, youth suicide, and drug use amongst teenagers have all reached critical levels." Mr Osborne asks, "How can anyone expect our children to take control of their lives when basic freedoms are removed and decision making has been usurped by the State? It is no wonder that so many young New Zealanders have such an entrenched inability to control their own destinies. We then wonder why these kids react so negatively."

In frustration, Mr Osborne continues, "While Mr Cullen and his predecessors have been so generous with other people's money, we still hear cries from the public demanding more tax spending on education."

Osborne concludes, "Libertarianz are the only political party to recognise the importance of individual freedom. We recognise that true education has nothing to do with the PC-ridden clap-trap that the State forces us to pay for. People must be free to make their own mistakes and they must be granted the freedom to take control of their own lives. This will only be possible when the education sector is released from the dictates of government. Never again will the public be robbed to pay for the Government's mind-control factories. Parents and pupils will then be empowered to make their own educational choices. Educational standards will soar, as schools will have to compete for entrants. The removal of all forms of State compulsion will leave everyone with the ability to take control of their own lives and the desire for youth to escape reality by taking drugs or lashing out at the world will soon become a thing of the past."

A final word from Mr Osborne, "To all those who have seen the utter failure of State compulsion and still wish the Government to run their lives, I give you one word: 'Baaaaaaaaaa!'"

Libertarianz: More Freedom — Less Government

ENDS

For more information contact:
Peter Osborne
LIBERTARIANZ SPOKESMAN TO DEREGULATE EDUCATION
Phone: 0274 326 005, e-mail: ospar@xtra.co.nz