Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A good education is crucial to the personal development of Australian children and it is crucial to our progress as a country. Today I had 75 children from my electorate of Petrie from a local school who came down here. As a father of three children in primary school, I do understand the importance of a great education. That is why I am absolutely thrilled that, in the 2015 federal budget, schools in my electorate of Petrie are big winners—they will be much better off.

The budget delivers record funding for schools across Australia, including needs based funding of more than $69.5 billion over four years. My local schools will also see record funding provided to both government and non-government schools under the Students First arrangements.

Total Commonwealth funding for schools across Australia will increase by almost 30 per cent over the next four years. Importantly, students with a disability will receive extra support with a record $1.3 billion being provided this year through the funding loading for students with a disability. Over the last 12 months, I have seen schools in my electorate as big winners with this extra funding received from us.

This record funding of course is passed onto the Queensland state government and, when the state Labor government bring down their budget next month, they will have no excuses for passing on record funding to schools within the Petrie electorate.