Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to rise in support of the Australian Education Amendment Bill 2017. Over the past few weeks, I have heard from a whole range of people from across my electorate of Robertson on the Central Coast about the impact of these important changes. In fact, just yesterday Debra Walls, the principal of Green Point Christian College, a school in my electorate, contacted me because she wanted to share with me exactly what this legislation will mean for her school. She said: 'When I saw the funding increase I was gobsmacked. It means having the ability to have more teacher aids to help kids with learning disabilities with autism or dyslexia. Now we can help kids achieve and be the best they can be.' As the daughter of a former Christian school principal on the Central Coast myself, I can well understand what Mrs Walls means, because this legislation will ensure that Green Point Christian college will receive a boost of more than $4,500 per student over the next 10 years. This brings the total funding per student to $11,800 in 2027. For the more than 1,000 students at the college, many of whom I have met during their recent visits to parliament, it will mean they have access to the quality education they deserve.

It is also going to make a real difference in Bensville at the Coast Christian School. The Coast Christian School, under this plan, is set to receive $4,700 more per student in 2027, taking their total per student funding to more than $12,000. Their principal, Alison Graeve, told me what this funding will do for the school. Alison said: 'It is going to help with tiered learning for those students with a disability. It is going to assist the most vulnerable students and make a real difference at our school.' I visited the Coast Christian School not too long ago, to visit their year 5 and year 6 fair, and I was inspired by so many young, bright minds of the students there. That is why I support this legislation—because it is investing in the future of students across my electorate and setting them on the path to academic excellence and better opportunities in life. Like Alison and Debra, I know that this bill will secure important changes to our school funding model.

This legislation includes a number of measures to support parental choice, certainty and stability for schools and it will tie funding to reforms that will support better student outcomes. But, above all else, this bill will deliver real, needs based funding that is fair for all students, including in my electorate on the Central Coast. In suburbs like Woy Woy, Umina Beach, Kariong, Gosford, Erina, Narara, Terrigal and Kincumber, this bill is about ensuring access to the quality education students in my electorate deserve.

Measures in this bill will improve the act, making funding arrangements more transparent, accountable and efficient. Through a 10-year transition period, all government and non-government schools will get a consistent share of the Schooling Resource Standard. It includes new indexation arrangements that mean, initially, indexation will be growing faster than real costs. It will set our schools up for the future, and ensure that funding is truly based on the needs of our students, placing value on outcomes as well as funding.

This is a government that is committed to investing in education and in equipping our students for the jobs of the future. Starting from 2018, Australian schools will receive an additional $18.6 billion in funding over the next 10 years. Under the coalition, funding for education has grown and it will continue to do so, with our total investment in the 10 years to 2027 a record $242.3 billion. In New South Wales, funding will increase by more than 67 per cent over the next 20 years to a total of $73.9 billion.

In my electorate of Robertson, schools in every local community will be receiving significant increases in funding because of this needs-based funding model. The total increase in federal government funding for the 48 schools in Robertson over the next 10 years is $311 million. That is great news for each of these 48 schools and their 23,556 students.

Importantly, this bill is ending Labor's 27 special deals that would mean schools would have to wait up to 150 years to get their fair share of funding. By 2022, under the Quality Schools package, funding would have grown to $30.6 billion—a 4.1 per cent growth per student. This is real needs-based funding. It will level the playing field by getting rid of Labor's special deals and ensuring that funding is delivered fairly to all schools in every state and territory.

Our plan will also mean that schools in my electorate of Robertson get their fair share of support and do not suffer because of these special deals under Labor. Every student at the 48 schools in my electorate will have a fairer deal thanks to this government's plan. That is a fairer deal for Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Henry Kendall High School, Point Clare Public School, Central Coast Adventist College, Woy Woy South Public School, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Gosford High School, Kincumber High School and Brisbane Water Secondary College—just to name a few. In fact, Brisbane Water Secondary College at Woy Woy will see its funding increase by more than $40 million over the next 10 years. For the 1,500 students at this school, it means nearly $2,000 more per student in 2027. These increases are part of this government's plan to back our teachers, supporting them to improve student outcomes. This is a fair system that is good for students, good for teachers, good for parents, good for our community and fantastic for Australia's future.

At Umina Public School funding will increase by $1,400 per student in the next 10 years, meaning that a total of $3,700 will be available for each and every student come 2027. For Narara Valley High School it also means $4,600 per student in 2027. St Patrick's Catholic Primary School at East Gosford will see funding rise by $3,000 in the same 10 years. For St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School in Woy Woy it means more per student in 2018, as well, and nearly $4,000 more per student in 2027. Up at Peats Ridge Public School funding will increase to $5,300 per student. At Kulnura Public School it will increase by more than $1,800 per student over the next 10 years. This does not sound like a cut to me.

This legislation means a fairer deal, as well, for students with a disability, ensuring that needs drive funding allocation. For Aspect Central Coast School, which is a wonderful school dedicated for students with autism in Terrigal, this legislation will see funding boosts of more than $39,000 per student. This will ensure that our students and teachers are getting the support they need. But these are just some of the schools in my electorate that will be better off. I would encourage all parents, teachers and students to find out how much their school would be better off by using the online school funding estimator. This new funding estimator gives our principals and teachers the information they need in order to make long-term plans for their schools. It is all part of our commitment to real needs-based funding that is fair, consistent and transparent.

As I have heard already from principals on the Central Coast, these changes will make a real difference in our classrooms, setting students on a path to academic excellence, offering them more opportunity and offering greater support for schools that are falling behind. I am looking forward to meeting with student leaders, teachers and parents around the Central Coast over the coming weeks to get their thoughts on our plan and what this means for our students. I am also writing to local principles. I am keen to hear how this funding will personally help their school. I am looking forward to seeing more students benefit from our needs-based funding model for schools, endorsed by David Gonski, that is all about fairness.

Unlike previous Labor governments, we are linking our investments with school reforms that have been proven to boost student results. This government will deliver the real Gonski needs based funding that Labor did not and scrap the 27 special deals that saw money taken away from schools that needed it most. Labor can promise all the funding in the world—and they do—but their promises are worth nothing more than Monopoly money. We on this side of the House know that you cannot spend money that you do not have or that you do not fund. Just like with the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Labor did not fully fund their education promises in 2013 and they are not funded now. Where Labor left a budget black hole, we are ensuring that the NDIS is fully funded so that we can support those who need it most. We are guaranteeing the NDIS to support a better life for the almost 2,900 participants just in my electorate of Robertson alone. Like our commitment to education, we have ensured that the NDIS will be fully funded.

This is the same Labor Party that took the original Gonski report and turned it into 27 special deals, with different rules for different schools. It is the same Labor Party that failed to deliver a real needs based funding model or even to properly fund it. It is the same Labor Party that is continuing to mislead the public with their funding cut claims. The fact is that funding under this government has grown and will continue to grow. Any suggestion by members opposite to the contrary is simply false. However, Labor representatives on the Central Coast, including the Labor candidate for Robertson and New South Wales' Senator Deborah O'Neill continue to peddle funding-cut lies, claiming that our local schools will be worse off. Considering that all 48 schools in my electorate of Robertson are set to receive funding increases through this bill, Senator O'Neill and the Labor candidate for Robertson's claims, just like a Labor budget, simply do not add up.

Senator O'Neill and the Labor candidate for Robertson have spent a lot of time recently talking about fairness and equality on the Central Coast, but what they have not said is how Labor's 27 special deals are fair to students in my electorate. How is it fair to make funding promises with Monopoly money? How is it fair to make promises to people when they cannot deliver them? If Labor on the Central Coast want to know what is really fair they only need to look at this government's fully funded commitment to real needs based funding for schools and to properly funding the NDIS. Our students deserve access to education that is fairly funded and encourages academic standards.

While we know a strong level of funding for schools is vital, what is even more important is how the funding is used. That is why David Gonski will lead a new inquiry into improving the results for Australian students. The review to achieve educational excellence in Australian schools will focus on the most effective teaching and learning strategies to reverse declining results and seek to raise the performance of schools and students. The review will provide advice on how funding can best be used to improve outcomes. Mr Gonski is set to deliver his final report to the government by December this year to inform new school reform agreements for states and territories set to begin early next year. This government is not just increasing funding; we are no longer simply accepting that results have been declining while funding has been growing. We are focused on improving educational outcomes for our students and on delivering quality education for each and every student.

As a former high school teacher on the Central Coast and a mother of two young children of school age, I know how important it is not only to properly fund our schools but also to use that funding in the most effective way—something that this government also understands. I know that each and every school should have an equitable share of funding, not just 27 special deals for states, territories, unions and non-government school leaders. Now, with the privilege of serving our community as the member for Robertson, I am reminded so often of the talent and potential of our young people on the Central Coast.

Principals across the Central Coast, along with Deborah, Alison and so many in our community, want to see our students—especially those who need it the most—get the support and quality education that they deserve. I, like every member on this side of the House, want to ensure that our students get the quality education they deserve, delivered through a fair, transparent and consistent funding model. This government is choosing fairness and quality over special deals. We are choosing consistency and transparency and we are choosing to invest in our students' futures, in our communities' futures and in our nation's future. I commend this bill to the House.

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