MP NAME ELECTORATE NAME Electorate Office DATE Dear MP NAME, Educational Apartheid in the Northern Territory and the Building The Education Revolution program I am writing to ask you to enquire why the NT Early Learning Centres for indigenous communities seem to have been denied the same level of funding as similar sized schools in predominantly white communities and why the Federal Government is not insisting that indigenous communities receive similar facilities (including standard of buildings, qualified and experienced teachers, furniture, air conditioning, toilet facilities, computers per student, library facilities and books, sun shelters, playground areas, drinking water, before and after school care etc) as the small suburban schools of similar size. I am asking this as I recently saw the 7:30 Report program "A Tale of Two Schools" on ABC TV on 24 February 2010: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2829391.htm This subject has also been raised by the Centre for Independent Studies in their article "Pretend Schools: Educational Apartheid in the Northern Territory" which is available at: http://www.cis.org.au/executive_highlights/EH2008/eh57208.html It is also discussed in the article "Unequal Schools - A case study documenting what some people may call institutionalised racism in the Northern Territory of Australia." at: http://www.culturalsurvival.org.au/docs/Case%20Study_Unequal%20Schools.pdf I ask that you lobby your colleagues Ms Julia Gillard and the Prime Minister Mr Kevin Rudd (in light of his apology to the stolen generation and other statements on closing the gap between indigenous and other Australians) to have these Homeland Learning Centres included under the "Building the Education Revolution" program or similar program of the Federal Government: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/BuildingTheEducationRevolution/Pages/default.aspx as a matter of urgency. I also ask that the Federal government ensures that all other predominantly aboriginal schools and learning centres (by whatever name known) in all states and territories are audited to ensure they have the same standards as other schools of similar size and enrolment numbers I would appreciate an email acknowledgement of receipt of this email and to receive copies of correspondence received from the offices of Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd in due course. With thanks in anticipation of your efforts in this matter. Kind regards and best wishes, NAME ADDRESS EMAIL PHONE