Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Turnbull coalition government is a government of innovation and enterprise, of supporting the individual and setting people up to be set for their future. Investing in education is one of the best ways to do this as it equips students to be as prepared as they can be for whatever path they choose to take. Programs like the National Innovation and Science Agenda and increased funding to the science, technology, engineering and maths sectors demonstrate the government's commitment to maintaining a relevant and adaptable funding focus for Australian schools. The government has a long record of supporting school funding. Indeed, school funding has been increasing for decades.

This debate cannot be about funding levels, as the figures prove simply that this is not the problem. Australia has the fifth-highest level of education spending in the OECD and it is quite clear that the problem is not the amount of funding; it is the use of the funding and the quality of our institutions and educators. It is a well-established fact that to solve a problem you cannot simply throw more money at it. It is also acknowledged that while needs-based funding is an important aspect of how education is funded, Labor's claim that they introduced needs-based funding with Gonski is false—it is misleading and it is an over-simplification of an answer that does not solve the question. Commonwealth needs-based funding has been in existence since the 1970s and the states have needs-based funding also. This does not address the problem that was raised in the media this morning.

Unfortunately, Labor's corrupted funding model has meant that we are six years behind and have spent a lot for little gain in this direction. I am proud to be a part of a government that has recently committed an additional $1.2 billion over four years and is working to link further funding to reforms that will not only be needs-based, but, more importantly, outcomes-based. These reforms focus on minimum literacy and numeracy standards for school-leavers and ensure our teachers are properly trained, prepared and proficient in fundamental areas before they set foot in a school. I must add that the Minister for Education and Training is doing a tremendous job in bringing about these reforms.

The education and schooling system is not a one-size-fits-all system. The federal budget committed an additional $118.2 million over two years for additional support for school students with a disability. I was pleased to speak to all the schools in my electorate, via letter, shortly after the election to inform them that the funding guaranteed by the coalition government would be delivered. I have four special development schools in my electorate—Frankston SDS, Mornington SDS, Naranga School and the Nepean School—and I am thrilled that they are not forgotten when it comes to education funding. I am also thrilled to commit to local schools through my Dunkley Shield, which I deliver to all schools across Dunkley, recognising the student in each of those schools who has performed excellently and to high standards.

This is an area where we must have cooperation with the state and territory governments. Education is a shared responsibility, but these reforms can eventuate only with the financial effort of the states and territories. I note that the Victorian Minister for Education, the Hon. James Merlino MLA, last week introduced ATAR entry standards. The federal government has this as a measure under our teacher education ministerial advisory reforms. This is a coalition idea. So, Labor talks but never delivers.

The federal government is indeed providing a record $73.6 billion for school education over the budget and forward estimates. We inherited 27 different complex and inconsistent funding arrangements across Australia that have left us with inequitable outcomes. This is why education reform is so important—not only the way funding is distributed but also how it is implemented and what conditions it is linked to. The proposal of those opposite to extend the existing arrangements for in excess of 10 years would entrench and exacerbate the inequities, at the expense of our children, including my own little daughter.

We have to move on from debating funding levels and instead focus on how the funding is spent. We in the Turnbull coalition government have been making terrific progress in ensuring this. I commend the Turnbull coalition government on its investment in the future of our young people. They are our future and we must support them.

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