Politics and budgets

I have never really been that interested in politics, but I have viewed the Mr Costello's budget through new eyes this year... teacher eyes.

There are some interesting things in the proposed budget. At first glance they seemed kinda cool, but reading a little further had me wondering how cool they really were? I mean, I know nothing about politics, so can't really pass judgement, but I have to wonder...

Why are they supplying funding for the top teachers to be paid to do extra training in the summer holidays? Isn't it the worst teachers who need training the most?? And why do schools have to comply with new performance measures (such as performance pay) that have been voted against by the majority in order to receive funding? If these performance measures couldn't get support at the education ministers' meeting, then perhaps they need to be reviewed and refined before being forced on schools? And is performance pay really fair - can teachers in lower socio-economic areas really achieve top results when they are lacking all the supports that teachers in better areas receive? And will it really improve the education industry, or will it put a damper on the supportive, sharing environment that currently exists, and instead create competition among teachers?

Anyway, just wondering...