Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I know that he has an enduring interest and concern about the provision of education in his electorate and through regional New South Wales. I am aware of the matter that the member refers to, although I have not been privy to the details of the reporting of that matter. What I am advised is that it is a matter that concerns the enrolments of the schools in question. I am happy to take that part of the member's question on notice and seek clarification from the New South Wales department in respect of that matter.

What I would additionally say though is that under the National Plan for School Improvement, we would expect to see additional resources going to schools in the member's and equivalent members' electorates where students are drawn from a lower socioeconomic background as may be the case in regional and rural Australia. And it is my expectation that those additional resources that are delivered to schools are intended to support the performance of the students in those schools, including in the schools that the member referred to. It makes perfect sense for programs of that kind to continue in that way.

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