Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that currently no public schools in Australia, except for public schools in the Australian Capital Territory, are at the full and fair funding level;

(2) recognises the Government's commitment to make Australia's education system better and fairer by working with all states and territories to ensure every school is on a path to 100 per cent of its fair funding level;

(3) acknowledges the Western Australian Government on being the first state to sign a statement of intent to ensure every school in Western Australia receives full and fair funding;

(4) commends the Government and Western Australian Government on agreeing to support disadvantaged students first by prioritising the most disadvantaged schools to achieve their full and fair funding level; and

(5) further notes the importance of tying funding to reforms that will close the education gap.

I am incredibly proud of the public schools in Pearce and right around Australia. The principals and staff in our schools do an amazing job in educating our children, and work hard to provide a sound basis for lifelong learning. Education plays a crucial role in shaping the social, economic and cultural fabric of our country. Public schools serve as a foundation for fostering equality, promoting diversity and ensuring that every child has access to a quality education, which is why the public school funding WA agreement is so incredibly important.

It saddens me that no public schools in Australia except for in the Australian Capital territory are currently at the full and fair funding level. In 2011, Mr David Gonski AC lead a review of funding for schooling under the Gonski plan. It was recommended that all schools be funded according to the individual needs of their students to give our children the best possible start in life.

The Albanese Labor government is committed to making Australia's education system better and fairer by working with all states and territories to ensure every school is on a pathway to 100 per cent of its fair funding level. I am very pleased that the Western Australian government has secured a funding agreement with the federal government. It will become the first state to fund its public schools to the full 100 per cent of the schooling resourcing standard. This agreement will increase funding for all WA public schools from 95 per cent of the SRS to 100 per cent by 2026. Disadvantaged schools will take priority, with the aim of reaching that funding level as of next year. The additional funding will mean more resources and more support for our students, teachers and school communities.

Pearce is a multicultural community and the public schools look after and educate students from various ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Every child deserves a good, quality education, no matter where they live, what their background is or their financial circumstances and whether they be First Nations or culturally and linguistically diverse students or those living in a rural or remote part of our country. It is incredibly important that we help give them the best start possible, and education is the key. By working together we can deliver much-needed funding reforms and we can tie this funding to the areas of most need, whether it be for the students falling behind at school and needing additional help to catch up so that they finish school or those with health or mental health issues that require additional support. Reforms need to be tailored to funding that will help lift student outcomes. We especially need to better integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into classroom practice.

Both the federal government and the WA state government are committed, through the funding and through reforms, that the agreement reached will ensure our public system for our schools strive for equity and excellence. This is particularly important to ensure that the well-being of students and teachers are at the forefront so that we have a sustainable, quality teaching and non-teaching workforce in our public school system and help eliminate the education gap for students from disadvantaged schools. The agreement is indeed a landmark decision.

The federal government is also supporting our schools in other ways. For example, in Pearce, our school upgrade fund has delivered: $50,000 for outdoor play areas for Banksia Grove Primary School; $24,000 for upgrading and improving existing outdoor learning spaces and repairs and maintenance for school facilities at Butler College; $25,000 for both East Butler Primary School and Mindarie Senior College for the purchase or upgrade of ICT equipment; and $25,000 for Tapping Primary School to upgrade and improve the existing outdoor learning space. Other projects are currently being progressed for funding to assist other schools in my electorate.

The Albanese Labor government remains committed to working with states and territories to get every school to 100 per cent of its fair funding levels in the next National School Reform Agreement. WA Premier Roger Cook recently stated:

The Statement of Intent provides a basis for the negotiation of the next National School Reform Agreement and associated bilateral agreement, which will tie funding to reforms that will help students catch up, keep up and finish school.

In closing, I reiterate that, when we ensure every opportunity has the opportunity to fulfill their potential, it is without doubt good for our students and good for our nation. I commend the motion to the House.

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