In June 2011 the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development advised school parents to lobby their politicians on any concerns over special religious instruction.
Two of us HSV members began to visit our MPs forthwith, one of us being a primary school parent and the other a primary school grandparent.
In addition to eight such visits by November we wrote to all Victorian MPs not yet contacted using the draft letter on this website. Sixteen more MPs have responded including ALP, Green and Liberal members. We have now have productive dialogue with 19% of the total of 128 Victorian MPs, but one, who shall be nameless for the present, has refused to meet with one of his constituents! We’ll give him another chance.
Contacting MPs next year will be guided by the VCAT hearing on 1 March. Perhaps we should also be talking to our Federal MPs on the matter of formerly “secular counselors” in State schools now being reclassified as social workers and accredited by the religion providers. It’s no big deal to visit a pollie. The visits are most enjoyable even with those who say that they are unable to support one, like “How can I possibly help you? I’m a Government Minister in the Bible belt.”
Let’s just do it!! – HG
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