Cuts to Catholics incoming as PM turns back on years of Lib support

Catholic schools were denied government funding for decades. But in 1962, the people of Goulburn changed all that … because of a dunny. The Goulburn Post, July 16, 2012:

On July 16, 1962, some 600 of Goulburn’s Catholic students were enrolled in local public schools in protest over the state government’s lack of funding. The city’s movers and shakers, parents and religious were out to make a point. If the government couldn’t fund vital infrastructure at the city’s Catholic schools, it should absorb them into the public system. The mooted six-week “strike” exerted maximum pressure and won national publicity. After a week it was called off and shortly afterwards Our Lady of Mercy Primary School won its new toilet block …

So, Robert Menzies embraced state aid and finally brought Catholics into the Liberal fold. John Howard in The Australian, September 20, 2014:

In 1949 the great bulk of Catholics voted Labor; by the early 60s, significantly aided by Menzies’ approach to state aid for independent schools … this was changing in a quite significant way. The consequences were long-lasting. It was estimated that at the 1996 election, which brought my government to power, for the first time ever a majority of Catholics voted for the Coalition.

Is Malcolm Turnbull now throwing all that away? The Australian, yesterday:

In a move that creates losers and alienates the Catholic schools sector, the government announced the funding for 24 independent Catholic and private schools would go backwards, a further 353 “overfunded” independent schools would have a lower share of funding and 9048 schools would receive more resources.

It’s almost like Catholic schools are on a hit list. The Australian, June 2, 2004:

Education minister Brendan Nelson has accused the opposition of producing a secret “hit list” of 127 independent and Catholic schools that will face funding cuts if a Latham government is elected.

These days, Mark Latham thinks there are bigger fish to fry. The Australian, yesterday:

Former Labor leader Mark Latham … said last night the biggest problems in schools now were teacher quality and academic standards.

Could Catholic voters turn on Mal? Kevin Donnelly in The Australian, yesterday:

The Turnbull government … financially discriminates against parents who send their children to Catholic and independent schools — especially low-fee-paying, non-government schools serving less wealthy and less privileged communities.

Hillary Clinton says last year’s US presidential election loss is not her fault. Clinton on CNN, yesterday:

I was on the way to winning until a combination of Jim Comey’s letter on October 28 and Russian WikiLeaks raised doubts …

The definition for delusion should now include Hillary Clinton. Oxford English Dictonary:

An idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument …

Cameron Stewart on why she lost. The Australianonline, yesterday:

… she was more intent on glamorous rallies with rock stars in safe Democrat cities like Philadelphia, talking to the inner-city elites who loved her. She ignored the Middle American workers whose votes she needed most.