Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the matter of public importance raised by the member for Sydney. I refer to the article in The Age newspaper this morning revealing that the union tail is again wagging the Labor dog. This is a campaign by Labor's union to try to get the Leader of the Opposition to pay attention to public schools, after he has spent weeks running around stitching up special deals for other schools as well as targeting our retirees and our pensioners. It is disingenuous to say that we are making cuts, which makes parents, teachers and others believe that funding levels as they currently exist will be reduced. The Australian Education Union's polling failed to inform voters of the record and growing funding that is going to Australian schools—that is, they asked half questions to get the answers they wanted. We are seeing again with this MPI the attempt to control debate with Labor's campaign of misinformation.

The Turnbull coalition government, in fact, are presiding over record investment in Australian schools. We were at $6.8 billion last year, we are at $7.4 billion this year, and we will be at $8 billion next year and $13.3 billion in 2027. These are not just vague promises like those opposite have given, which only reach to the next year. In fact, when we compare ourselves with Labor in 2009 and 2010 we see only a bit over 10 per cent of government school funding was coming from the federal government, whereas under us that will be increased to 20 per cent. We are taking school funding seriously, even if Labor aren't. We are introducing true Gonski needs based funding. The states, of course, provide the rest, based on the traditional division of powers between the levels of government. But we are committed to quality school education. Needs based funding means students that need the most support will get the most support.

We've also announced the new review into quality education, to be run by Mr Gonski. In fact, unlike the claims of those opposite about cuts, investment is growing fastest for public schools, at 6.4 per cent, while growth for non-government schools is at 4.4 per cent. The Turnbull government is introducing equitable, needs based funding, as opposed to the opposition's ad hoc deals.

Let's look at it locally in my electorate of Dunkley. All 51 of my Dunkley schools are receiving an increase in funding, including all public schools, Catholic schools and independent schools. For example, funding for Seaford Primary School is increasing from a bit over $390,000 in 2018 to about $614,000 in 2027. Funding for Nepean School, a specialist school, is increasing from $1.05 million in 2018 to a bit over $1.6 million in 2027. At Langwarrin Park Primary School it is increasing from $1.7 million in 2018 to $2.8 million in 2027.

Lastly, the David Scott School, for example, will get an increase in funding from $1.4 million in 2018 to $2.4 million in 2027. I could go on through the list of all 51 schools, and they are all getting increases. Our total funding for government, in fact, in Victoria will increase from $1.6 billion in 2018 up to $2.5 billion in 2027—an increase of almost $1 billion. In Dunkley, in 2018, we have 28,140 funded enrolments, with almost 70 per cent in government schools. Total Dunkley school funding will increase from $2.1 billion in 2018 up to $2.9 billion in 2027—that is, an increase of over $800 million. So it is incorrect for those opposite to say that there will be cuts not only to Dunkley schools but to schools across the nation.

And between 2018 to 2027 the Australian government is expected to provide $915 million to government and non-systemic independent schools in the electorate of Dunkley under the Quality Schools funding model. This is an average increase in funding of 45.85 per cent per student in Dunkley from 2018 to 2027. Parents and teachers can see the facts for themselves on the Quality Schools website. They can see through the lies of Labor and the Australian Education Union. I call on those opposite to tell the truth to the members of the public, to tell the truth to my electors in Dunkley and to get on board with education funding reforms.

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