Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Brisbane Christian College is an independent school in my electorate of Moreton. I have been contacted by this school. It is very concerned about the lack of adequate funding for children at Brisbane Christian College with disabilities. Now, the Gonski plan for school funding—a plan embraced by both sides of the chamber back in 2013, which Labor was very committed to while in government—included loadings for students with disabilities and $100 million was put in place by Labor as an interim measure to provide support for children with disabilities in schools. Labor planned to consult further with the states and territories to determine a consistent method of funding, because obviously the devil will be in the details in terms of what disabilities attract what money.

One of the coalition's election promises in the lead-up to the election was to implement Labor's Gonski plan. In fact, Mr Pyne and Mr Abbott regularly said that this was a joint-ticket item. It was a promise repeated by the Prime Minister even after he was elected. The reality is now that a student with a disability can attract as little as around $4,000 in one state, but if they went to another state with the same disability they could attract up to $40,000. As anyone that knows education knows, this sort of money can make a significant difference in the educational support provided to a child and can turn them into a significant taxpayer rather than someone who attracts care and support from society.

Making sure that students with disability are supported is the unfinished business of the Gonski reforms. What we saw after the Abbott government came into power was that the Gonski promise, like many others, was shattered. It was blown away like morning mist on the Brisbane River in summer. The Abbott government failed to even extend the interim payments that Labor brought in, let alone increase the funding for students with disabilities.

Brisbane Christian College is just one of the schools in my electorate, but the same story is told across Australia. Brisbane Christian College, as a non-government school without the support of Education Queensland, is particularly concerned about the reduced funding for children with disabilities. Brisbane Christian College is particularly concerned because they are committed—whilst they are a school of faith, they are actually a school with to practical faith—to giving a helping hand to people who have problems. I know they have lots of great programs. They provide breakfast for some of the poorer kids in the area. This sort of practical faith could help so many people with the disabilities if the Abbott government had stayed true to their word.

Children that have disabilities at non-government schools throughout Australia suffer under these significantly under-funded arrangements. Even worse, the funding differential becomes greater the higher the level of support needed by the child. Studies with disabilities need resources to level the learning playing field. They should have the opportunity, like every other child, to reach their full potential.

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