Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently I visited a number of local schools in my electorate to celebrate National Gonski    Week and, in particular, to acknowledge the positive difference that the Gonski school funding is making to the education of children in south-west Sydney.

I kicked off this significant week with a Gonski breakfast at Miller Public School hosted by the principal, Bronwyn York, and Mrs Skye Curran. In fact, 51 per cent of the students at Miller Public School are from non-English speaking backgrounds, and many come from families of a low socioeconomic status. Therefore, the school relies heavily on government funding to deliver programs that can assist its disadvantaged students with the development of literacy and numeracy skills.

Through Labor's Gonski reforms, the needs-based education funding program is playing a significant role in ensuring that every child has the support they need to succeed at school and, in doing so, is closing the gap between the lowest and highest academic achievers.

I represent an electorate that is well-known for being multicultural, but it is also an electorate that has a significant proportion of disadvantaged people—many low-income families, families looking after children with disability, single parent families and families of low socioeconomic backgrounds. I recognise the important difference that the Gonski reforms play in providing students with specialised individual support, smaller class sizes and programs that enhance their educational attainment.

I also had the opportunity to visit Marsden Road Public School, which hosted an assembly to celebrate the school's achievements with parents and carers. I met with the principal, Greg Way, who emphasised the potential that could be realised with a full six-year Gonski funding allocation. We know Gonski is delivering results.

At St Johns Park High School, over 90 per cent of the students are from non-English speaking backgrounds and 61 per cent are from backgrounds of lo   w socioeconomic status. Under the leadership of the principal, Sue French, the Gonski funding is effectively being utilised to upgrade technology and to invest in education infrastructure, providing targeted literacy and student leadership programs. The school received three years of national partnership funding before it got its first Gonski funding in 2014. Since the administration of the Gonski program, the school has seen strong academic results, with four times as many students scoring highly in the HSC than in 2013. St Johns Park High School also has a 91 per cent retention rate of its year 12 students. This is an incredible achievement. One can only imagine the difference that the full six years of Gonski will make in ensuring that students are not disadvantaged and that they get the guidance and support they need to reach their potential.

Instead, the Liberal government wants to abandon the Gonski reform to education and impose a $30 billion cut to funding for schools over the next decade. This is an average cut of $3.2 million per school and is the equivalent of sacking one in seven teachers. This cut will hurt students and jeopardise the future competitiveness of our nation. Schools in New South Wales are currently below the Schooling Resource Standard, and too many schools are still not receiving the funding they need to lift the achievement levels of students and to support those who require additional assistance. We cannot afford to let this funding lapse. Every child in every class room needs the support and opportunities that Gonski can give them, and they need access to quality education regardless of background or where they live. This is the cornerstone of our social and democratic traditions and a key feature of progressing our economic future.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of Mr Jason Gerke from the New South Wales Teachers Federation, whom I have been working closely with to raise awareness and to take a stance against the government's education cuts.

Education is the best way to break the cycle of poverty, and every child in every school deserves all the support we can give to ensure the best academic attainment. I give a Gonski because I believe in the importance of investing in our future by investing in education, and so should this government.