Tasmanian premier apologises for 'outcome' of Christmas post

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has apologized for the fallout resulting from a Facebook post that disparaged a Tasmanian school's attempt to rename its Christmas event. Mr. Rockliff incorrectly stated that all references to Christmas were being removed from school celebrations. This statement led to a social media backlash against the school and its acting principal.

The Premier claims that it was not his intention to cause such an outcome, but he maintains that he stands by his expectations. Trevallyn Primary School found itself in the midst of a social media storm after the school decided to rename its end-of-year event from "Christmas on the Hill" to "End of Year Extravaganza." Mr. Rockliff took to Facebook on October 14th to express his awareness of efforts to remove all references to Christmas from end-of-year school celebrations.

He has refused to apologize, asserting his right to voice the belief that Christmas is an integral part of their way of life. Upon learning of the online abuse directed towards the school, the Australian Education Union (AEU) called for Rockliff's resignation, deeming his post "reprehensible" and condemning the impact as significant.

The AEU even barred all politicians from participating in end-of-year events at schools until the Premier issued an apology. Parents and educators across the state expressed outrage over the Premier's refusal to apologize or retract his statement, which falsely claimed that all references to Christmas were being removed. Education Department Secretary Ginna Webster had written to the Premier on the day of his post, clarifying that Christmas remains an integral part of Trevallyn Primary School's event.