Politics · Other · 1 hr ago
Tasmanian premier urged to apologise over school Christmas event
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff asked the education department to intervene after a school changed the name of an end-of-year fundraiser.
The school, Trevallyn Primary in Launceston, renamed its event “Christmas on the Hill” as the “End of Year Extravaganza.”
Its newsletter and calendar still referred to Christmas, including planned carols.
Rockliff said schools should not remove Christmas references, then posted about the issue on social media and wrote to the department secretary naming the school.
The education union said his actions shamed the school and staff and caused psychological harm.
The union has urged him to contact the school, apologise and put things right; no outcome of the department’s involvement is stated.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is being urged to apologise after intervening in a public school’s decision to rename its end-of-year event.
The school, identified in media reports as Trevallyn Primary School in Launceston, had renamed its fundraising event “End of Year Extravaganza”.
Rockliff said he had asked the education department to ensure references to Christmas remained in school celebrations.
The Australian Education Union’s Tasmanian state manager called the premier’s actions “reprehensible” and said the school and staff had been harmed.
The school newsletter and calendar still referred to Christmas carols and other Christmas activities.
- Who
- Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Trevallyn Primary School are at the centre of the story. The education union has urged Rockliff to apologise.
- What
- Rockliff asked the education department to intervene after the school renamed its Christmas on the Hill event. The union criticised his public comments and response.
- When
- Rockliff posted about the issue late Wednesday night. The article was published on October 15, 2026.
- Where
- Trevallyn Primary School in Launceston, Tasmania.
- Why
- Rockliff opposed removing references to Christmas from end-of-year school celebrations. The school’s reason for renaming the event is not stated.
Jeremy Rockliff
Australian Education Union Tasmania
Aspect
Jeremy Rockliff
Rockliff's view
Australian Education Union Tasmania
Australian Education Union Tasmania's view
Christmas references
Jeremy Rockliff
He said schools should not abandon references to Christmas or remove carols from end-of-year celebrations.
Australian Education Union Tasmania
The union criticised his intervention and said he should first have heard the school's reasons.
Public response
Jeremy Rockliff
He asked the education department to step in to ensure references to Christmas remained.
Australian Education Union Tasmania
The union said his post shamed the school and staff and urged him to apologise.
A school newsletter said the December fundraising raffle, formerly called Christmas on the Hill, was now called the End of Year Extravaganza.
Rockliff posted on Facebook that he opposed efforts to remove Christmas references from end-of-year school celebrations.
ABC Australia reported that the premier was being urged to apologise after his post caused an online stir.
- Premier
- Jeremy Rockliff
- School
- Trevallyn Primary School, Launceston
- Renamed event
- End of Year Extravaganza, formerly Christmas on the Hill
- Newsletter date
- October 2
- Facebook comments
- More than 5,400 as of the morning of publication
What people are saying
Acknowledging other traditions is important. But that's not a reason to abandon our own
I do not support schools removing reference to Christmas in end-of-year celebrations or removing carols
The consequences of this are significant and the psychological harm that the premier has caused is reprehensible.
It has been blown out of all proportion. The premier's actions are reprehensible and he must pick up the phone today and fix this