Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The shadow minister has asked umpteen questions on notice all about education funding, but she has had nothing to say about skills, teacher quality, school standards and student performance. I admit education funding is an important topic, but surely there are other important topics as well. The member for Sydney seems to be obsessed with inputs and not at all about outputs, and that must be the focus of any debate about education policy more generally.

If she were right about some of the inputs, she would not be constantly being pulled up by ABC Fact Check. A number of my colleagues have mentioned that, in relation to these claims about $22 billion, the ABC—that noted right-wing organisation!—has said that she is 'misleading', that the government is not cutting $22 billion from schools. But that is not the first time they have called her out on this. Back in 2014, Fact Check found that what she was mouthing involved 'rubbery figures'. So there is a long history of Labor lying about school funding.

I would like to take this opportunity to place on record the incredible benefits of school funding that the government is putting forward for my electorate of Berowra. Total federal funding for all schools in my electorate amounts to $1.12 billion over the next decade, and that supports 51 government, Catholic and independent primary and secondary schools and over 26,000 students who attend Berowra schools. Over the next decade, 35 government schools in my electorate will receive more than $514 million in funding. Hornsby South Public School will get more than $16 million in funding; Hornsby Heights Public School will get more than $11.8 million in funding; Hornsby North Public School will get more than $22.8 million; Asquith Boys High School will get more than $21.5 million; Mount Colah Public School, more than $12.5 million; Mount Kuring-gai Public School, more than $5 million; Berowra Public School, almost $11 million; Wideview Public School, more than $11 million; Murray Farm Public School, more than $25 million; Beecroft Public School, more than $22 million; Cheltenham Girls High School, more than $40.6 million; Cherrybrook Public School, almost $22 million; Normanhurst West Public School, more than $13.7 million; Pennant Hills High School, almost $36 million; Pennant Hills Public School, more than $15 million; West Pennant Hills Public School, more than $17.8 million; Thornleigh West Public School, more than $15 million; Annangrove Public School, more than $2½ million dollars; Glenhaven Public School, more than $11½ million; Kenthurst Public School, almost $6½ million; Hillside Public School, more than $1.2 million; Dural Public School, more than $11.7 million; Middle Dural Public School, almost $1 million; Galston High School, more than $25 million; Galston Public School, more than $7½ million; Cowan Public School, more than $2 million; Brooklyn Public School, more than $2.8 million; Wisemans Ferry Public School, more than $2 million; Maroota Public School, more than $1.6 million; Cherrybrook Technology High School, the largest high school in the state, more than $64 million; Oakhill Drive Public School, more than $19 million; Clarke Road School, more than $6.4 million; John Purchase Public School, more than $18 million; Glenorie Public School, more than $7.6 million; and Arcadia Public School, more than $2½ million.

The 11 independent schools will receive more than $467 million in Commonwealth funding: Arden Anglican School, more than $35 million; Lorien Novalis School for Rudolf Steiner Education, almost $22 million; Mount St Benedict College, more than $73 million; Oakhill College, more than $117 million; Pacific Hills Christian School, more than $72½ million; the Warrah village Rudolf Steiner school, almost $8½ million; Tangara School for Girls, more than $29.6 million; The Hills Grammar School, more than $48 million; Northholm Grammar School, more than $28.2 million; Berowra Christian Community School, more than $6.2 million; and Redfield College, more than $7 million.

Over $137 million will be contributed to the Catholic education system on behalf of the four systemic schools in my electorate: St Agatha's Catholic Primary School at Pennant Hills, St Bernard's Catholic Primary School at Berowra, St Madeleine's Primary School and Marian Catholic College, both at Kenthurst. This government is delivering record levels of funding for Australian students in a manner which is fair, needs based and endorsed by David Gonski.

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