3000 protest in Sydney over education cuts

ABOUT 3000 people have gathered in central Sydney to protest against sweeping education cuts in NSW.

Premier Barry O'Farrell is slashing the state's education spending by $1.7 billion, impacting on schools, public and private, as well as TAFEs.

Thousands of teachers, education support staff, parents and supporters gathered in Darling Harbour on Sunday for a community action day.

"What you'll see here today is a groundswell of public opinion against these cuts - parents, teachers and the wider community coming together to say these cuts cannot be justified," Opposition Leader John Robertson told the crowd.

"Barry O'Farrell needs to stop and listen, watch what's happening here today, and understand that this isn't going to go away.

"This is a campaign that's going to grow."

Mr Robertson also called on the government to wind back the education reforms in the wake of an apparent $1 billion budget accounting mistake.

"The O'Farrell government discovered that (Treasurer) Mike Baird had made a $1 billion mistake in the budget," he said.

"That billion should be going straight into the education system."

Sherie Dewstow, a support officer at Forest Lodge Primary School and member of the Public Service Association (PSA), rejected government claims that front line wouldn't be impacted by the cuts.

"Support staff in our schools are the backbone of the school, they are the front line," she said.

Ms Dewstow said fewer administration staff meant teachers would be forced to pick up slack on photocopying, enrolment and other non-teaching duties.

"There will be disruptions in all areas of learning, and to the teaching profession," she said.

The PSA says school learning support officers have been among the first to lose their jobs or have hours cut.

The union believes hundreds of policy and support roles will soon follow.

Earlier, Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said the protest would not nothing to change the government's mind.

"We are in difficult budget times and I think the responsible thing to do is to take measures in the back office, in the bureaucracy, to make sure we've got those dollars to invest in the front line," he told reporters.

"The government has made it pretty clear what it needs to do, we won't be changing the decision that we have made."

Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron rejected suggestions the protest would have no impact on the government.

"It will never be a waste of time. While ever we've got fight within us we will fight this for as long as it takes," he said.

"In every electorate, in every town, in every suburb.

"I think the minister needs to be warned that he and his government are put on notice.

"The community of NSW will not stand by idly and allow them to rip jobs and courses out of our TAFE colleges and schools."

Mr Mulheron also flagged further industrial action.

"We will fight this as a community based campaign for as long as it takes," he said.

PSA president Sue Walsh said the cuts were already hurting.

"We know that those people who work as support officers and work directly with students with disabilities, they're already being told they're losing hours if not their jobs as of next year," she said.

Ms Walsh said the government should spend less effort looking for efficiencies and more on improving the education system.

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