Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

There are over 12,000 children in Lindsay in child care and well over 30,000 attending school, and I'm passionate about making sure each and every one of them, as they go through school to further education, has the opportunity to be educated and trained in the jobs of the future, particularly in emerging industries such as science, mathematics, engineering, manufacturing and technology. We all want to make sure that the next generation have more opportunities than we've had, and that's why the Morrison government is investing a record $24.8 billion for all Australian schools next year. The Morrison government has a 10-year plan to once again put Australia among the top education nations in the world. By 2030 we want to lead the way in mathematics and science. In Western Sydney we are already working hard together collaboratively to achieve this.

Recently, the Minister for Education and Youth and I joined a passionate group of local principals who talked about their unique teaching experiences and how we could give our kids even more opportunities. We talked about how we could provide more support and work with our local educators to improve outcomes for students. It's important for me and my community of Lindsay to see how our national policies are making a positive impact in our local communities, and it was valuable to have such a robust discussion with these hardworking principals who care deeply about the education of their students. We know that the investment in Western Sydney international airport and aerotropolis will create over 11,000 jobs during construction and over 26,000 long-term jobs—jobs in STEM, industry, retail, hospitality, construction, manufacturing and so many more growing fields. That's why it's so important that we continue to invest in our kids, making sure they are equipped with the skills they will need to take on these challenges and propel Western Sydney into the future. The minister for education also joined me at The Lakes Christian College to officially open the new outdoor learning centre. The Morrison government invested $20,000 under the Local Schools Community Fund to create an outdoor learning area, and it was wonderful to see the kids enjoy this. We want to see more healthy active living for our students, and this upgrade means better spaces to get outdoors.

More than $30 million has been provided through the Local Schools Community Fund to support schools across Australia fund projects just like this and to make an impact on local kids, helping them have the high-quality facilities and equipment they need to reach their full potential. The Morrison government is investing record funding of $315.2 billion in all schools between 2018 and 2029 under the Quality Schools package. We don't just want high-quality schools; we also want our students to succeed. In 2020, 89.4 per cent of 20- to 24-year-olds had attained a year 12 or a certificate III or above qualification, the highest result every received. Year 12 retention rates are also increasing, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In Lindsay we have over 6,000 Indigenous people living in our community, and I want them to have the best opportunities at school.

Supporting local kids to get to school is so important. That's why I delivered $40,000 to the Cranbrook breakfast club to help with the purchase of a second van for their morning school run, which picks kids up from their homes and gets them to breakfast club and school. This extra vehicle means that the centre will be able to double the number of kids being picked up and dropped off at school. The tireless efforts of Joy, Bronwyn and the team at Nepean Community & Neighbourhood Services make an incredible difference to the lives of these students, and I'm really proud to be supporting them. These are vulnerable kids who normally have a very low attendance rate, and attending this breakfast club is having a positive impact on their school attendance, which is so important.

Across Australia, year 12 attainment rates for students from low and medium socioeconomic backgrounds in remote areas are significantly lower. We know that there's more work to do to increase this, and that's why we are providing record school funding. The Morrison government is working together with the states and territories on their future funding needs, which will result in even more growth across the different levels of government. This will ensure the 30,000 students in Lindsay can reach their potential now and long into the future.

Can the minister please provide an update on how the Morrison government is investing in the education of Australian kids to boost standards and return Australia to the top group of education nations in the world?

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