Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Schools) Share this | Hansard source

Let us be very clear about this: Labor believes that every Australian child deserves fair schools funding, so they get every chance to fulfil their potential at school, which means their potential in life. It is also clear that this government does not believe in this, and they express this in two ways. They seem to have two approaches to the issue: bluff or bluster. We saw bluff on the part of the PM in question time today, as on so many other occasions when he fails to engage in any of the issues which go to the future of our schools and, indeed, the future of young Australians, and bluster from the assistant minister, who's, sadly, not here for the rest of this debate. What all this amounts to is a failure to take responsibility for what has to be a national priority.

For Labor—again, I want to be clear—it is a national priority. In the Labor caucus room and when we come into this place—our parliament—we ask ourselves what we're here for. Today, all of us in Australia's parliament should reflect on how we can discharge our responsibilities to ensure equity today and equity tomorrow. I am so grateful in that regard that I had the opportunity to hear today from principals, teachers and parents brought here by the Australian Education Union. I thank them for the opportunity to bear witness in this place to their stories, to their experiences.

Every time I engage with teachers, every time I hear from principals about school funding and, particularly, every time I hear from parents I learn more about what we can do to set the standard and ensure that the standard is maintained across the country to give every child every chance.

But what about government members? I was shocked to hear that so many government members couldn't find the time to meet with teachers or parents from the electorates they represent. This is absolutely shocking. It shows an extraordinary disrespect for teachers and students, and the communities they are here to respect. But it is entirely consistent with this government's attitude to this issue, which seems to be much more concerned with deflection than engagement with any sense of responsibility.

I heard the assistant minister talk about reaching the fair funding standard by 2027. That won't happen for too many Australian students. Let's think about that. A child in grade 3 today would be finishing school in 2027. That is walking away from any sense of a responsibility to ensure that that child gets an equal chance to a high-quality schools education. It is a fundamental abrogation of responsibility.

For Labor, we understand, because we've been listening to the lived experience of teachers, students and parents and having regard to academic evidence. Fair funding is the key to a fair future for individuals and for all of us. And that's what's so shocking about this government, which has one plan for Australia—a $65 billion give away—but which does not have the confidence to invest in young Australians or those charged with imparting them in the skills to succeed in education and in life. It is so defensive and so unacceptable.

The soon to be shadow assistant minister talked about context. This really is the context. It is fine to talk about declining ranking levels. That is of concern to all of us. But what's of bigger concern to me is the increasing equity gaps within Australia. I see the shadow minister at the table here. The government is compromised of the Liberal and the National parties and what is particularly egregious is the National Party's abandonment of regional kids. The now Minister for Sport, Senator McKenzie, boasted over a year ago, in 2017, about the two years of work she'd put into assisting regional education outcomes yet we haven't even seen her report. What's been happening is regional and remote kids have been going back, and government members won't even hear from people about this. I'm so grateful I heard from Cassandra from the Northern Territory, who spoke to me about her concerns about these cuts impacting on kids in remote Northern Territory communities. Because it isn't just the maths of the cuts; it's the formula which has been baked in, as the deputy Leader of the Opposition said. This government isn't just cutting education today; it is constraining the future of young Australians through locking public school students out of a fair chance of education. They stand condemned for that.

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