Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. Will the minister update the House on the progress of the Independent Public Schools initiative and how delivering this scheme will improve education outcomes for our students?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Forde for his question, because I know that he, like me and the rest of the government, is wildly enthusiastic about more autonomy in public schools around Australia. He, like this side of the House, believes that the outcomes for students should be our priority in schools and that putting students first is our priority, not putting the union first.

The government, before the election, promised that we would deliver 1,500 more schools with greater autonomy over four years from 2014 onwards. I am very pleased to be able to report to the House after this year of achievement that in 2015, starting next year, 800 schools around Australia, more than half of our four-year goal, will already be delivered in 2015—next year.

The states and territories that have signed up so far include the ACT, where 86 schools will gain more autonomy; the Northern Territory, where 15 schools will be independent public schools; Queensland, where 130 schools will be independent public schools; South Australia, where 225 more schools will gain autonomy; Tasmania, where 120 schools will gain more autonomy; and Victoria, where 250 schools will gain more autonomy just in 2015.

New South Wales has agreed to sign up to the Independent Public Schools initiative. We are yet to finalise the agreement, but when New South Wales signs up in the very near future that will be another big injection of schools gaining more autonomy.

Western Australia, of course, is the pin-up state in terms of independent public schooling and, to their great credit, they have said they will spend their own money and go their own way on independent public schooling. I take my hat off to Western Australia for wanting to go their own way in an area that is state and territory responsibility. The reason we are doing this—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth has been warned.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

is because we know that more autonomy leads to better outcomes. As the UK schools white paper in 2010 said:

Across the world, the case for the benefits of school autonomy has been established beyond doubt.

The OECD said, 'PISA shows a clear relationship between learning outcomes and the relative autonomy of schools.' The Gonski report, often quoted, says:

… school leaders who are able to make decisions, including decisions about hiring staff and over the school budget, do well in terms of student achievement…

So even the bible for the Labor Party, the David Gonski report, endorses more autonomy in schools. It is just another one of the feathers in the cap of this government after a full year in office.