Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] In recent weeks, I've had the pleasure of visiting a number of local schools to present awards. I visited St Laurence's College, a Catholic college following Edmund Rice's vision of presence, compassion and liberation by 'acting justly, loving tenderly and walking humbly with God', where I presented the Terri Butler MP Griffith science award to Isaac Lagos. I visited Cannon Hill Anglican College, a school that is located amongst beautiful wetlands and educates in the Anglican tradition, where I presented the Terri Butler MP Griffith science award to Rebecca Leonard. And I visited Cavendish Road State High School, one of the Griffith electorate's largest public schools, which teaches philosophy, has outstanding academic results and focuses on sport and instrumental music academies, where I presented the Terri Butler MP Griffith science award to Isabella 'Izzy' Holland. I'm also lucky enough to be attending some year 6 graduations. Last night, I attended the awards night at Sts Peter and Paul's School, where I presented the Terri Butler MP leadership award to Emma Fraser and Kaitlin Smith. This week, I'll be going to my own daughter's year 6 graduation at one of our local public schools.

Let me also take this opportunity to acknowledge the following recipients of my local sponsored awards, most—but not all—of which are in recognition of achievement in science: at Balmoral State High School, Estelle Tonkin-Farr; St Oliver Plunkett Catholic Primary School, Maddy Primrose and Lilly Black; Cannon Hill Anglican College, Primary, Amelia Moss; Loreto College, Andrea Brouwers; Seton College, Gavin Angas-Johnson; San Sisto College, Laurel Harrison; Coorparoo Secondary College, Mirielle Mingoa; Whites Hill State College, Ethan Fegan; Brisbane School of Distance Education, Hillary Earle; Narbethong State Special School, Hannah Fisher; St Joseph's, Grace Bowden; Brisbane South State Secondary College, Hugo Craig; and Somerville House, Annabel Grosser. Annabel has written me a beautiful thankyou letter in which she tells me she hopes to study medicine or science at university and that she wants to use science to help people.

Camp Hill State Infants and Primary School have also announced their recipient, and there are a lot of further recipients to come. I'm looking forward to hearing about the recipients of other awards that I've sponsored at East Brisbane State School, Dutton Park State School, Buranda State School, Norman Park State School, Greenslopes State School, Holland Park State School, Coorparoo State School, Seville Road State School, St James Catholic Primary School, Villanova College, Carina State School, Brisbane State High School, Mayfield State School, Mount Gravatt State School, Lourdes Hill College, Cannon Hill State School, Bulimba State School, Seven Hills State School, Morningside State School and San Sisto College. The schools show some of the diversity of education available in our local area, with parents being able to pursue an independent, Catholic or public education. Whichever path is taken, all children should have the opportunities that come with access to a good education.

Next year, 2022, will mark 55 years since Gough Whitlam first became leader of the Labor Party, and 2023 will be the 50th anniversary of his Labor government's landmark schools funding laws. One of Gough's enduring legacies was to establish Commonwealth funding for government, Catholic and independent schools, on the basis of need. He said the choice for parents should be 'between systems and philosophies of education, not between standards and opportunities'. In 1983, Bob Hawke said:

If all Australian children are to enjoy equal educational opportunities - the funding of all schools - government and non-government - must be based on fairness and need.

In the 1980s and 90s, Labor oversaw improved school funding, and a rapid and dramatic increase in high school completions. More recently, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard oversaw significant improvements to support for schools. Today, Labor's national platform restates our commitment to school funding noting that it is 'unacceptable for anyone to miss out on developing that potential because of class, geography, disability or poor quality schooling'.

Recently, public school teachers have launched a new campaign for schools funding called Every School, Every Child. Labor is proud to support that campaign. Like parents and teachers around Australia, we want to see more support for public schools. I'm also proud that Labor supports genuine parent choice. Troy and I have chosen wonderful public schools for our children. Genuine choice implies making sure that no one system or school is a poor cousin to any of its counterparts. That means funding for all schools from all sectors. The Liberals, Nationals and Greens have all pursued funding cuts and freezes to schools. I don't support that. I want to see every school a terrific school for our future.

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