Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bonner for his question and note his deep interest in schools in his electorate. The Howard government believes that it is the right of every parent to send a child to a school that best suits their individual needs, and that includes a choice of school in the government or the non-government sector. The Howard government also believes that parents, having paid their taxes, deserve some public support for their child’s education, regardless of the school.

The Australian government has now provided a record $33 billion in funding for all Australian schools over the 2005-08 period. This is a 59 per cent increase in funding for all schools over that of the previous four-year funding period. Members would be aware that non-government schools are funded by the Australian government according to the socioeconomic status formula, which means that students in the neediest communities receive 70 per cent of the cost of educating a child at a state school and students from the wealthiest communities receive some 13.7 per cent of the cost of funding a child at a state school. It is also worth remembering that 68 per cent of the total student population attends a state government school and that they receive 75 per cent of total public funding. Some 32 per cent of the student population attends a non-government school and receives 25 per cent of total government funding.

I am asked about any alternative policies. Once again the Labor Party are in disarray. Members will recall the Latham schools hit list. Remember the former Leader of the Opposition’s schools hit list that they took to the last election targeting the parents of the 1.1 million children who attend Catholic and independent schools?

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