Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to reports today about the government's proposal to have parents pay a school tax. If the states take up this government proposal, which the Prime Minister has praised today as 'creative thinking', how much more will Australian parents have to pay to send their children to school?

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

That question is dealing with hypotheticals. If the Leader of the Opposition would like to rephrase his question, he may do so.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is still to the Prime Minister. I refer to reports today about the government's proposal to have parents pay a school tax. Under the government's proposal, which the Prime Minister has praised today as 'creative thinking', how much more will Australian parents have to pay to send their children to school?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me repeat again and again and again for the Leader of the Opposition, who is a slow listener if not a slow learner, the government's position, which is that there is no such proposal—none whatsoever, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. We are not proposing to means-test the parents of children attending public schools, full stop. It would not be a good idea, and we do not actually run public schools—principles of government 101.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on both sides.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

States and territories run public schools. Not only is he running yet another mindless scare campaign but he does not understand the basics of our Federation: that states and territories run public schools. Get it, Bill. Get this: states and territories run public schools.

What we do do and will continue to do is fund public schools. I think it is the third time I have said it. Let me repeat it again for the slow-listening slow learner over there: this year, Commonwealth funding for schools goes up eight per cent; next year, it goes up eight per cent; the year after that, it goes up six per cent; the year after that, it goes up four per cent. Total funding for schools over the forward estimates goes up 28 per cent. That is a $4 billion increase. Our funding goes up and up and up every year.

If, as members opposite keep saying, there is some kind of $30 billion funding gap, they are absolutely required to tell us how they are going to meet that gap. If there is a $30 billion funding gap, will the opposition fill it should they become a government? If they are not prepared to say now, 'Yes, we will find $30 billion more for schools, just like we'll find $18 billion more for foreign aid and just like we'll find $50 billion more for public hospitals'—if they are not prepared to say here and now that they will find another $30 billion for public schools—this line of questioning is revealed as simply fraudulent.

Mr Randall interjecting—

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

The member for Canning will desist.