Members of Parliament and Candidates Visiting and Corresponding with Schools

Policy

This policy outlines school staff roles and responsibilities when members of parliament (MPs) or candidates for election visit Victorian government schools, attend school functions, or correspond with schools, including during referendum or election years, and caretaker periods.

Summary

• MPs and candidates commonly visit schools and write to schools to strengthen school-community connections.
• Sometimes visits are initiated by the school (for example, an invitation to an award ceremony or concert) and sometimes visits are initiated by the MP or candidate (for example, a request to tour the school).
• Principals are encouraged to accommodate requests for MP and candidate visits to schools.
• School employees must always remain politically neutral in their work – this extends to decisions to host or invite MPs or candidates to the school, during any visit and to any correspondence with MPs or candidates.
• Schools must notify their regional director and area executive director of any proposed visit or correspondence from an MP or candidate.
• Particular requirements exist during the caretaker period in election years.

Details

MP and candidate visits

State and Commonwealth MPs are regular visitors to schools for events such as the official opening of facilities, fetes and presentations, or to tour schools.

Principals are encouraged to accommodate requests from MPs and candidates to visit schools.

Where there is an operational reason why a visit cannot be accommodated on a specific date or time (for example, because of examinations, school holidays or a swimming carnival), principals are encouraged to discuss an alternative suitable time.

When issuing invitations or agreeing to host MPs or candidates, including ministers, principals are required to notify their regional director and area executive director of the date, time, reason of the proposed visit, and whether the media are likely to be present. Principals must ensure this information is provided to the regional director and area executive director as early as possible, ideally no later than 5 working days before the proposed visit.

The principal should confirm, together with the regional office, the respective roles of the MPs or candidates, such as speaking roles and order of which awards are being presented.

Where the Department of Education organises a government event, it will manage compliance with this policy.

Election and referendum periods

In the lead up to a state or federal election or by-election (including during a caretaker period) or in the lead up to a referendum, there may be an increase in the number of school visit requests or correspondence from MPs and candidates.

At all times – that is, regardless of whether it is the caretaker period – public sector employees (including school employees and members of the teaching service) must maintain their impartiality and integrity, particularly with regard to party political activities, and they must not use their position, access to information, or school facilities to advocate (or be perceived to advocate) for or against the current government, a particular political party, and a candidate or political issue in relation to an election or referendum campaign.

During election or referendum periods, this will usually mean principals should continue to accept all reasonable requests for visits, unless there is an operational reason not to. Where there is an operational reason why a visit cannot be accommodated on a specific date or time (for example, because of examinations, school holidays or a swimming carnival), principals are encouraged to discuss an alternative suitable time with the MP or candidate.

During the caretaker period, invitations to school organised events might occur at reduced levels. If a local MP or candidate is invited to a school organised event or requests an invitation, it would be appropriate for other local candidates to be given the opportunity to attend in addition to any government representatives. However, MPs and candidates should not be given the opportunity to use such events to campaign for the election, make election commitments or refer to any matters relating to the election.

Specific consent must be obtained for photos or filming of students with MPs or candidates. This requires use of the Template specific event and media consent form – student (DOCX).

For further information on consent requirements for photographing students, refer to Photographing, Filming and Recording Students.

Principals must ensure that any printed or electronic material (including badges) that may be considered political in nature is not distributed, promoted or displayed at the school or during a school event, and that school resources are not used for political purposes.

MP or candidate stand-alone events

Where MPs or candidates are using schools for stand-alone events, such as a media event or media conference, limited logistical support may be provided by public sector employees, including school employees. This logistical support during the caretaker period, and at other times if these events are held must only be the minimum necessary to ensure that an event can be conducted. It is not appropriate that use of schools extends to such activities as engaging public sector employees, including school employees in political dialogue. Nor should use of premises unreasonably disrupt the normal operations of the school.

Correspondence with MPs and candidates

MPs and candidates may from time to time write to schools to strengthen school and community connections. Schools must ensure any response is factual and impartial.

Principals must notify their regional director and area executive director when they receive correspondence and confirm with the regional office an appropriate approach, including whether a response is appropriate in the circumstances.

If the content of the correspondence relates to public policy, it must be referred to the minister, consistent with the principles of responsible government and ministerial accountability. If responding to correspondence, principals must:

• only include factual content
• not offer advice or opinions on government policy
• remain apolitical
• follow the Australian Government Style Manual
• use school letterhead
• maintain records in line with the department’s Records Management policy.

Maintaining an impartial and apolitical approach

Partisan or party political materials, including materials that promote a particular political party or candidate, must not be distributed, promoted or displayed in a school, other than for educational purposes (and if being done so for educational purposes, care should be taken to ensure that this is done in a way that is apolitical and fair).

A school may publish on school channels (such as a newsletter) photos and factual information about the visit but must not promote a particular candidate or party.

A school may communicate a funding announcement or an election commitment to its community, provided the communication is restricted to factual information about the commitment, does not promote a particular political party or candidate, and that the school communicates commitments from all political parties in the same way.

For information on school staff rights and obligations relating to political activities, refer to Political Activities.

Related policies

• Code of Conduct
• Elections – Employees Contesting Parliamentary Elections
• Guidelines on the Caretaker Conventions
• Photographing, Filming and Recording Students
• Political Activities
• Records Management
• Visitors in Schools

Relevant legislation

• Constitution Act 1975 (Vic)
• Ministerial Order 1388 Teaching Service (PDF) (Employment Conditions, Salaries, Allowances, Selection and Conduct)
• Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic)

Guidance

There is no further guidance for this topic.

Resources

Currently there are no resources for this topic.