For those interested in the developments in NSW, you will know that the current state opposition announced they would scrap the competition between SRE and the new Ethics course. And within a couple of months announced a policy reversal.
I asked my local MP why. Via the local member, I got this response from the shadow education minister (Andrew Piccolli):
When the govt announced its change of policy to allow ethics classes to be held during SRE time we said we would change that policy and not allow ethics classes after the end of 2011. After we announced that the govt introduced a bill to legislate ethics. We voted against the bill however it passed with support of the greens. Now that ethics classes are the law and we wont (sic) be able to change it because of the LC [Legislative Council, ie NSW upper house] makeup we have said, reluctantly, that we will work with St James Ethics Centre and SRE providers to make sure the ethics classes work and that they dont impact on SRE classes. So more or less we have been boxed in to this position.
If I understand correctly, this says the retraction of the poicy was political in nature: we have been boxed in to this position.
I am not saying this is wrong or right – unlike some, I don’t think ‘politics’ is inherently evil! I am simply passing on what I heard, in case you are interested.