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

I withdraw. I withdraw the name. One of the things that are extraordinary about this is we've got a Liberal South Australian education minister who has cut $210 million from South Australian schools, but who helped him do it? Who allowed him to do it? It was the Xenophon Team's votes in the Senate that allowed these cuts to hit South Australian schools. It wouldn't be such a surprise, because you've got an ex-Liberal and a bunch of ex-Liberals helping a Liberal government cut the budget in schools, except here is a letter from then senator Nick Xenophon firmly promising—hand on heart, no equivocation—that he would never agree to cut the schools funding package that Labor delivered. The letter states:

I write to reiterate in the strongest possible terms, the commitment of the Nick Xenophon Team in relation to the implementation of the Gonski funding model … we stand by full implementation and full funding of Gonski. In particular we support the current system of indexation—

the current system of indexation—

and will oppose any moves to change it.

Well, he didn't oppose the moves. He backed them right in through here and through the Senate, and they would not have got through the Senate without the backing of the Nick Xenophon Team. He writes to principals:

I look forward to working with you and your members to ensure Gonski funding is defended and maintained for the future of Australia's children.

This same man seeks to be the member for Hartley. What does this do to schools in the electorate of Hartley? Norwood Morialta High School will lose $1.4 million over the next two years. That is a lot of cakes he's going to have to buy at the cake stall; it's a lot of sausages at the sausage sizzle that the local member is going to have to make up for. It's a few pieces of art at the art fete they might have, as many schools do. What about East Marden Primary School? Every year, they have a fundraising effort where they sell voucher booklets to raise money. How many voucher booklets is the member for Hartley, Mr Xenophon—if he is successful—going to have to buy to replace the $640,000 cut from this school this year and next year? This year and next year, $640,000 will be cut from this school. This contrasts, of course, with the Weatherill government, which has been investing in schools, with 800 new teachers and $1 billion of infrastructure upgrades in recent years. It is the largest ever spend by a South Australian government, with Norwood Morialta High School getting an extra $30 million and East Marden an extra $7½ million.

We are absolutely committed to reversing every dollar of the funding cuts that this Liberal government, with the help of the Nick Xenophon Team, smashed through this parliament—every single dollar restored. But I have to say that this is not theoretical future funding that we are talking about; these cuts are hitting this year. The Liberal government shoved these cuts through this parliament with the help of the Nick Xenophon Team. If that money had been allowed to flow to South Australia as intended, $210 million would have paid for 280 more school support officers, 186 more speech therapists, 203 new counsellors and 505 new teachers. Imagine the difference that would make in South Australian schools if those opposite hadn't cut the original funding that the South Australian government had signed up to and expected quite rightly to receive from the federal government because they had a signed deal with the federal government.

And all this while it's not just South Australia that's being affected. Tasmania will lose $68 million over the next two years alone. Think about the difference $68 million makes in Tasmanian schools. And those are not our figures; that is what the Liberal Deputy Premier says is the cut to Tasmanian schools. Nevertheless, he's prepared to back in the cut because he'd rather suck up to his friends in Canberra than stand up for Tasmanian schoolchildren. That's why Tasmania needs a government led by Bec White to actually stand up for Tasmanian schoolchildren.

This extra funding is critical to our schools. It's this extra funding that has been cut by those opposite that means more one-on-one attention for kids who are struggling, help to identify the kids that are struggling, help to make sure they catch up, help to make sure their literacy and numeracy is first rate. It means extra investment in science and coding—making sure they have the specialist teachers to teach these specialist subjects. It means more extension activities for kids who are gifted and talented. It means more help with the basics and more help for all of the enrichment that makes a school experience a great school experience. We should expect to deliver the best education in the world to Australian schoolchildren, not rip the guts out of school kids' education as those opposite are doing.

And why are they doing it? This is the bit that really gets me. Why are they doing it? So they can give $65 billion of big business tax cuts that they hope will one day trickle down. Well, history has taught us something different, hasn't it—$65 billion of big business tax cuts straight to the pockets of overseas shareholders instead of properly funding our schools so that our kids get every assistance. We want every Australian child to get a great education. We want every Australian school to be a great school. And it is appalling that those opposite have cut $2.19 billion this year and next year from our schools. The cuts hit public schools and Catholic schools the hardest And what are those opposite doing? They are still defending it. They are not even embarrassed. They should go and face their school communities and explain themselves.

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