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

People have been talking a lot in the last few weeks about the school-funding wars. This place tonight reminds me nowhere more than of Heston Aerodrome, and the Prime Minister across there waving around his new education act like Neville Chamberlain—'peace for our time'.

I will tell those opposite that I will not forget and we will not forget that this legislation is not fair, it is not needs based and it is not sector-blind funding. We will never accept legislation that means Fregon Anangu School gets $100,000 less next year than it did in 2015. I will never accept legislation that delivers a third less funding to Tasmanian children with a disability. I will never accept legislation that says kids in public schools deserve to have just 20 per cent of their education paid for while kids in private schools can get 80 per cent of their education paid for. I will never accept that The King's School, The Friends' School, Churchie and Scotch College are underfunded, according to this Prime Minister. Public schools around the country like Plunkett Street Public School, Campbell Town District High School, Mill Park Primary School and Sarah Redfern Public School—those schools, and thousands like them, will actually lose funding under what is proposed by those opposite.

I will tell you what this legislation does. It reminds every Australian that they can never trust the Liberals on education. You remember the signs, don't you? 'You can vote Labor, you can vote Liberal—not a dollar difference for your school.' You remember those signs, don't you? You remember the bunting, don't you, at that election? Well, I tell you what, there will be signs and there will be bunting at the next election. You will rue this day. I tell you what, people will never trust the Liberals on education, because this Prime Minister opposite, in the last election campaign—what did he say then? He said the federal government should not provide a dollar of funding to public schools. Well, they are well on their way to that objective, aren't they—slashing the guts out of public schools and small Catholic schools right around this country, too. I will tell you something: Australians will never trust the Liberals on education and those opposite will be sorry that they have supported these cuts to schools around the country.

Where has he been for the last two weeks? The Prime Minister is having a good laugh, isn't he, about the schools that will lose funding in his electorate. The Prime Minister is delighted because Cranbrook, one of the really wealthy schools in his electorate, will get a nice increase. On this side, we have fought for public schools from day one. On this side, we have fought for small systemic Catholic schools from day one, and we will restore every dollar cut by those opposite.

Do you know what? One of the most disappointing things about this legislation is we have given up our ambition for Australian children. This act removes all of the ambition that we had: more children finishing year 12, closing the gap on Indigenous education, more school autonomy, better teaching—all gone from this act. Those opposite have delivered less money for our schools and less reform because we know that those opposite think that improving our schools is just so much red tape. I tell you what, the parents of Australia have been watching you. The teachers of Australia have been watching you. There is nothing worse that this parliament can do than rob the children of Australia of hope and opportunity, and that is what you have done tonight. That is what you have done.

A division having been called and the bells being rung—

Mr Khalil interjecting—

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