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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Sarah Lansdown

Canberra Liberals accuse Pocock of 'politicising' ACT public school

Senator David Pocock held a town hall event at Lanyon High School on Sunday. Picture supplied

Senator David Pocock has been accused of politicising public schools by hosting a town hall meeting at a Tuggeranong school hall.

The independent Senator's office has denied the event was political and claims visitor protocols did not apply.

Opposition education spokesman Jeremy Hanson said it was "inappropriate and disappointing" for the independent senator to hold the event at Lanyon High School on Sunday, which involved campaign banners and volunteers wearing campaign T-shirts.

"I don't believe schools or other ACT government facilities should be politicised by federal or local politicians and would prefer they remain off limits for these sorts of events," Mr Hanson said.

"The real question is, who approved this political event in an ACT public school and did the ACT Education Minister believe it was appropriate?"

The Education Directorate has strict protocols for visitors, including members of the Legislative Assembly, senators, members of parliament and other visiting dignitaries.

Media and promotional events for non-government visitors require written agreement from the Director-General and should be held outside school grounds without school signage, according to the protocols.

Videos and photos of the event published on social media show the school's logo visible on the lectern and "vote 1 David Pocock" banners set up in the hall.

Senator Pocock spoke to more than 90 attendees about issues he had been working on since being elected, including climate change legislation, cashless welfare cards and infrastructure spending in the ACT.

About 90 people attended Senator Pocock's town hall event on Sunday. Picture supplied

A spokeswoman for Senator Pocock said it was a community consultation so the protocol did not apply.

"This was not a political rally or other political event. It was a community consultation," the spokeswoman said.

"Senator Pocock is undertaking these town hall events in good faith as a way of ongoing consultation with the community.

"The only person seeking to politicise this event is Mr Hanson."

The spokeswoman said four months after the election the senator was still waiting for a range of materials including official signage from the Department of Finance.

She said the event was not open to the media but it was live streamed for accessibility reasons.

She said there was nothing in the hall hire instructions given to the organisers stating the lectern with the school's logo could not be used.

In response to questions to ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry, an Education Directorate spokesman said the hall was hired under the community use of school facilities policy.

"The Education Directorate supports the use of ACT public schools as community facilities when the facilities are not in use by the school," he said.

"The event was unrelated to the operation of the school, it was not held during business hours and there were no school staff or students formally engaged in the event.

"The school hall (and its associated hall equipment) was solely hired as an event space and the school did not endorse - or indeed take any active part - in the event."

Lanyon High School received $380.70 for the three-hour event.

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