Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

No, that is okay. I might take an opportunity to talk about the Australian Electoral Commission and the way they manage the redistributions, but not this afternoon. Instead, I will be talking about the address-in-reply. I am pleased to speak on the address-in-reply. We are well into the 45th Parliament, and I gave my first speech as the member for Shortland in October last year, but I do welcome the opportunity now to reflect on the record of the Turnbull government as well as bring to the attention of the House the tremendous benefits Labor's needs-based schools funding model is having in the electorate I represent, and finally I will talk briefly about my shadow ministerial roles.

The Turnbull government is as divided and dysfunctional as the Abbott government was, and working Australians are being neglected whilst this government is tearing itself apart. The Prime Minister has abandoned every principle he once held dear—principles which Australians, for the most part, respected him for—in a desperate bid to hold onto power. Meanwhile, Labor has been focusing on growing jobs and wages, grappling with the housing-affordability crisis, investing in needs-based school funding, improving Medicare and our public hospitals, supporting infrastructure projects and sensibly dealing with climate change. This is in stark contrast to the Liberals and Nationals who have been more concerned about their own jobs than the jobs, aspirations and priorities of Australians. The announcement around 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act yesterday, yet again, demonstrates this government's skewed agenda.

I want to particularly highlight the government's dreadful economic management. The record of the coalition on the economy and the budget is absolutely appalling. Our country is in a much worse economic position than we were in September 2013. The budget deficit has tripled, net debt is up by over $100 billion since 2013 and more people are out of a job. There is severe unemployment and those in employment have stagnate wage growth. In many sectors of our economy, real wages are actually going backwards. Just contemplate that for a minute, Mr Deputy Speaker. Under this government, our living standards are falling. Compare this to the record of the six years of the last Labor government, a period where the world experienced the global financial crisis, but because of Labor's stimulus plan, opposed by the Liberals and Nationals, Australia was the only country in the developed world not to go into a recession. Over a million jobs were created and there was a massive investment in health, education and infrastructure. This is a record Labor is proud of. It is a simple fact that the coalition are inferior economic managers.

I particularly want to draw the attention of the House to the positive impacts needs-based funding is having in my electorate of Shortland in schools funding and the consequences for Shortland's schools if the government does not fund the final two years of the Gonski funding model. The most important, in fact the central element, of Gonski is that it provides for funding on a needs basis. No matter whether the schools are government, Catholic or independent, it is a fair system, overwhelmingly supported by Australians. It cuts through 50 years of sectarian division between Catholic schools and state schools, and debates about how many playing fields the King's School has. It says, once and for all, that the federal government will fund schools based on need—not on postcode, not on religion; on need. It is a great tragedy that in 2013, the coalition—led by the member for Warringah—blatantly misled the Australian people by saying that they could vote for Labor or Liberal and they would still get Gonski. This was a blatant mistruth—in fact, the Liberal government cut $30 billion from schools.

I recently had the great pleasure, with the member for Sydney, of visiting St Mary's Catholic College at Gateshead, which is in my electorate. St Mary's is a relatively low-SES school which is benefiting enormously from Labor's Gonski reforms. St Mary's principal, Larry Keating, told us that the school is transitioning from a year 7 to 10 high school to a year 7 to 12 college and that, because of the extra Gonski funding, the school is spending $3 million this year alone on building a new construction and hospitality centre. This centre will be critical for the new senior years. Larry told Tanya and me that:

as a community we've benefitted so much from the funding from Gonski. And we see the difference it's making in the lives of our students. They have an opportunity to grow and develop, and develop skills in particular that will set them up significantly for future employment prospects and we're really grateful for the funding that we have received.

Unfortunately for St Mary's—and for schools all around Australia—because of the government's lie and its refusal to fully fund Gonski, they will be much worse off. I also want to draw the attention of the House to the impact Gonski is having on Saint Pius X Primary School at Windale, which is a small primary feeder school for St Mary's just down the road. Saint Pius is the poorest primary school of all schools in New South Wales, both government and non-government. It is a small school of only 45 students. Because of needs-based funding, two extra teachers have been able to be employed. These two additional teachers are having a massive impact in the poorest school in the state, and this is being jeopardised by the government's failure to commit to Gonski. Youth unemployment is higher in the Hunter and the Central Coast than the national average. The new construction and hospitality centre being built at St Mary's will obviously be a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in vocational education, and hopefully to gain apprenticeships and employment after leaving St Mary's. It was fantastic for both the member for Sydney—who is, of course, the shadow minister for education—and me to see the tangible benefits of needs-based funding, and the positive outcomes that Labor's Gonski model is having in my electorate.

Another great example of the power of needs-based funding is Northlakes High School at San Remo. Northlakes is another low-SES school; in fact, it has received the most additional funding of all of the high schools on the Central Coast. The school's principal, Merrilyn Rowley, has said that Gonski has been absolutely transformational for the school. The school has been able to implement innovative new professional development programs for staff and the Positive Behaviour for Learning Programme for students, as well as being able to upgrade the school's facilities. These extra resources put into programs are having a tangible impact on the school already. The change in the attitudes of the children has been phenomenal and there has been a 30 per cent drop in absenteeism. Let me repeat that, Deputy Speaker Claydon—because of the programs which the Gonski additional funding has resourced, there has been a 30 per cent drop in absenteeism by school students at this school. This school is an entirely different place because of Gonski. This is another good example of school students in a working-class area benefiting from needs-based funding. This is what the Labor Party is all about, and I am so very proud of this school community for the advances they have made.

The government is betraying the students of Shortland and their families by not committing to the two final years of Gonski funding. The education minister has said repeatedly that funding is not everything. Of course, quality teachers, resources and facilities are also crucial to schools. But the most basic point, which the minister does not get, is that to have these things, there has to be appropriate investment from the government—and that is what needs-based funding delivers. If the government fails to implement its Gonski election commitment, schools in Shortland will be $33 million worse off, and schools in my broader region will be $140 million worse off. These are incredibly significant figures that the government cannot ignore. And I will fight for needs-based funding every day until the next election, because it delivers real and tangible benefits to the families of my electorate.

I now want to address energy and climate change policy. We have all endured a very hot summer—in fact, I think 225 temperature records have been broken in this summer period. We have seen an energy crisis that this government have done nothing about over the last four years they have been in power. The government are completely failing to show any leadership on this issue. They attack renewable energy, promote the lie of clean coal and stubbornly refuse to implement an emissions intensity scheme, which nearly every stakeholder—and most of them are not natural friends of the Labor Party—supports.

In contrast, Labor have clear priorities: a secure and affordable energy supply and a reduction in carbon emissions. We have a clear and sensible policy to achieve this and are showing leadership on this issue. I am Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy, and I have been working closely with my colleague the member for Mallee, who is chair of the committee, on an inquiry into modernising Australia's electricity network. We are working constructively together in a bipartisan way to try and take the politics out of this issue and to ensure that we have a modern and secure energy framework. Unfortunately, the summer months have confirmed the total lack of leadership from both the Prime Minister and his environment and energy minister on this issue.

In conclusion, I am pleased to provide the House with an update on some local Shortland and national issues. I cannot emphasise enough the positive impact Gonski is having in my electorate. Needs-based school funding is working. The benefits can be seen right across Australia. Liberal and National politicians should be ashamed that they deceived Australian families before the 2013 election. They should make good on the commitment they have made. It will make a massive difference to the lives of Australian families. I am proud to belong to a political party that has made this fundamental change to ensure fair funding for all schools, and I am proud to visit schools in the electorate I represent to see the impact it is having in our area.

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