Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

We have seen over the years a series of budgets from this government that have raised a series of thought bubbles—the 15 per cent GST, state income taxes—that have popped almost as quickly as they have been released. Just a few weeks ago the centrepiece of this budget was going to be housing affordability. I am not sure if we are still talking about housing affordability. When it comes to education funding, this is a policy announcement—a week before the budget—that has been completely pulled apart. It has completely unravelled in the course of the week since it was announced. The Minister for Education and Training has claimed that his proposal will increase school funding, improve fairness and be simpler. None of these things are true.

John Dewey said:

What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children.

I have used that line before in this place and in speeches that I have made because I think it is such a beautiful illustration of exactly what it is that we are trying to do with schools funding: we are trying to provide the best possible education for all Australian children. As parents, we know the sort of effort we put into raising money in our own schools. I think I am going to a comedy night at one son's high school this Friday. We have a film night at my daughter's school in a few weeks time. The last election day, I was up till all hours the night before baking cakes for the election cake stall at my youngest son's school. I think that is the experience of parents right across Australia, whichever system they are in and whichever school their children attend. They are gathering together those small amounts—the thousand dollars from a sausage sizzle, cake stall or fete—that make all the difference to resources in their schools.

How can it be okay, then, for those opposite to cut $22 billion from our schools? They say, 'It is not a cut; it is an increase.' It is an increase from Tony Abbott's $30 billion cut from schools.

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