Letter #1

It has taken me a while to decide what the best topic to write my first letter as there seems to be so much I could write (complain?) about. Was feeling slightly overwhelmed.

The topic needs to be timely. And there seems to be new issues every week that require research (time) to write a good, informed letter to my local representative. 

So, I've decided in writing to ask that the funding to Schools as the first topic. After researching how to write a letter to your local politician, this felt like a good start point, considering I am a mum with a child on the verge of starting school (how did she get so big?!!) So, see my letter below. I am sending this to them via email, as The Man has already contacted him in this way (yes, the political edge runs in the family).

To the Honourable Mr Local Federal Member,

I am writing to you as a member of your electorate and as a mother with her eldest child on the verge of starting school in 2015.  I write to ask that you vote not to reduce the funding recommended in the Gonki review that became the Better Schools Program. Our children are our future and to cut funding to their education will have impact long after any budget surplus. Cutting the funding shows that the Abbott Government do not value equality, our children and the people who teach, train and help them to become the successful people of the future. The Gonski report highlighted fundamental funding changes needed to not just improve our children's education but attract intelligent and gifted teachers and also provide Australia with intelligent and smart population. 

Though I have heard The Government's claims that it is not reducing the funding, the reality of funding for only four of the committed six years (so cutting funding by 2 years) plus providing unspecified and unstructured funding to the three states and territories that didn't agree in the original rounds of talks still sounds like funding cuts. 

Thanks for your time. I would appreciate a response to this email.

Regards

What do you think? Let me know below.

Writing a letter is not as easy as making a cup of tea. Tea at Nan's (2010)