Blaise Joseph on ATAR results transparency, Michael Stutchbury accused of being stuck in ‘Friedman era’

Year 12 ATAR results revealed as review continues into data policy — Canberra Times and across ACM

Centre for Independent Studies education program director Blaise Joseph said parents appreciate transparency around data and school results. (Canberra Times and across ACM)

“I think the question really is, how much do we trust parents?” he said.

“Do we trust parents to be able to look at results and understand that that’s one important part of education, and it’s not everything.”

He said transparency was important in the school system because it gives parents confidence.

“More than that, you have confidence that if ever schools are encountering challenges, that they’re honest and upfront about that,” Mr Joseph said.

It also means parents are able to make school choices about comparable points rather than a school’s reputation, website or “how shiny the school uniforms might be”, he said.

Stutchbury is stuck in the Friedman era (letter to editor) — Australian Financial Review

Michael Stutchbury’s worldview is stuck firmly in the era of Milton Friedman’s neoliberalism (“Subsidies, safety nets and stagnation: Australia’s new economic model”). The world he sees is not the reality of today.

To go back to the pre-Hawke and Keating (Menzies and McEwen) era of a virtual controlled economy is as stupid as clinging to the outdated tenets of Freedman (sic).

Security of supply long-term is likely to be more important than some cost dislocation and some industry leaders belief that they should have untrammelled freedom of operation.

Michael Chapman, East Albury, NSW