Tasmanian education union urges politicians to stay away from schools amid Christmas event dispute
By Chloe · Published 23 Oct 2026 · Updated 23 Oct 2026
Launceston, TAS · Tasmania News
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Tasmanian education union urges politicians to stay away from schools amid Christmas event dispute - Launceston, TAS
Smart summary
Tasmania’s education union is calling for politicians to avoid public school visits for the remainder of the school term unless Premier Jeremy Rockliff apologises for a social media post about Christmas celebrations.
A dispute over the naming of a school’s end-of-year celebration has escalated into a wider political disagreement in Tasmania, with the Australian Education Union calling on politicians to stay away from public schools for the rest of Term 4.
The controversy began after Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff posted on social media that he had become aware of efforts to remove references to Christmas from end-of-year school celebrations. He said he had asked the state’s education department to intervene. Although the premier did not name the school, people online identified a school in northern Tasmania, triggering a wave of social media criticism directed at the school community.
The school had planned to rename its event from “Christmas on the Hill” to “End of Year Extravaganza”. However, its calendar continued to include several Christmas-themed activities. The change in the event’s name became the focus of a public debate about school traditions, religious references and how educational institutions communicate with their communities.
The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Education Union held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday to discuss what it described as the distress and harm caused by the public controversy. The union subsequently called for politicians and their representatives to refrain from visiting government schools until the premier apologised for how the matter was handled publicly.
Union branch president David Genford criticised the premier’s approach, arguing that public commentary had contributed to pressure on the school and its staff. The union said educators should be able to focus on students’ learning and wellbeing without becoming the target of a political dispute.
A parent from the school told ABC Radio Hobart that the incident had affected the school community, including students and staff. The parent expressed disappointment that the controversy continued rather than being resolved through direct communication with the school.
Rockliff has defended his position, saying he has a right to express his views and rejecting the allegation that his actions amounted to bullying. He has also condemned attacks directed at individuals or schools. Treasurer Eric Abetz supported the premier’s comments, arguing that politicians care about public schools and should continue attending school events.
The dispute has also drawn responses from opposition politicians. Tasmanian Labor leader Josh Willie said his party supported the educators’ position and urged the premier to apologise, visit the school and support the students and staff.
The incident highlights the challenges schools can face when decisions about celebrations, religious traditions and inclusive language become politically contentious. Schools often need to balance long-standing community customs with the preferences of families from different backgrounds, while keeping students’ educational experience at the centre of decisions.
The union’s request places pressure on the state government to resolve the disagreement before end-of-year school functions take place. As the debate continues, the school community remains at the centre of a controversy that began with the name of a celebration and expanded into a broader argument about political conduct, public communication and the wellbeing of educators and students.
SchoolSchoolsUnionPremierPoliticians
A dispute over the naming of a school’s end-of-year celebration has escalated into a wider political disagreement in Tasmania, with the Australian Education Union calling on politicians to stay away from public schools for the rest of Term 4.
The controversy began after Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff posted on social media that he had become aware of efforts to remove references to Christmas from end-of-year school celebrations. He said he had asked the state’s education department to intervene. Although the premier did not name the school, people online identified a school in northern Tasmania, triggering a wave of social media criticism directed at the school community.
The school had planned to rename its event from “Christmas on the Hill” to “End of Year Extravaganza”. However, its calendar continued to include several Christmas-themed activities. The change in the event’s name became the focus of a public debate about school traditions, religious references and how educational institutions communicate with their communities.
The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Education Union held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday to discuss what it described as the distress and harm caused by the public controversy. The union subsequently called for politicians and their representatives to refrain from visiting government schools until the premier apologised for how the matter was handled publicly.
Union branch president David Genford criticised the premier’s approach, arguing that public commentary had contributed to pressure on the school and its staff. The union said educators should be able to focus on students’ learning and wellbeing without becoming the target of a political dispute.
A parent from the school told ABC Radio Hobart that the incident had affected the school community, including students and staff. The parent expressed disappointment that the controversy continued rather than being resolved through direct communication with the school.
Rockliff has defended his position, saying he has a right to express his views and rejecting the allegation that his actions amounted to bullying. He has also condemned attacks directed at individuals or schools. Treasurer Eric Abetz supported the premier’s comments, arguing that politicians care about public schools and should continue attending school events.
The dispute has also drawn responses from opposition politicians. Tasmanian Labor leader Josh Willie said his party supported the educators’ position and urged the premier to apologise, visit the school and support the students and staff.
The incident highlights the challenges schools can face when decisions about celebrations, religious traditions and inclusive language become politically contentious. Schools often need to balance long-standing community customs with the preferences of families from different backgrounds, while keeping students’ educational experience at the centre of decisions.
The union’s request places pressure on the state government to resolve the disagreement before end-of-year school functions take place. As the debate continues, the school community remains at the centre of a controversy that began with the name of a celebration and expanded into a broader argument about political conduct, public communication and the wellbeing of educators and students.
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