Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why did the Liberal Party promise to match school funding dollar for dollar before the election but after the election announce a cut which is the equivalent of $3.2 million for every school in Australia or the equivalent of sacking one in seven teachers? Isn't this just another example of the Prime Minister saying one thing and then doing another?

Ms Ryan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just before I call the Prime Minister: the member for Lalor has been interjecting. The member for Lalor was holding up a sign that I made a ruling on yesterday. The attendants can collect it and she is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

():I thank the member for Adelaide for her question. Unlike the Labor opposition, the government will not promise money first and then seek to negotiate outcomes later. The Labor Party has no credibility when it comes to big spending proposals, as they have no way of funding them. Let me just read again for the benefit of the opposition the South Australian Labor Premier's thoughts on the Leader of the Opposition's chances of delivering on his schools policy. Premier Weatherill said:

… we haven't seen any coherent or sustainable way in which that is going to be funded.

That is the judgement not of the coalition, not of the minister for education, not of any Liberal premier. That is their own Labor premier understanding keenly the realities of the school system over which he presides. We should not be surprised by this. The Labor Party has form, and it is consistent. They made funding commitments in the out years when they were last in government, beyond the forward estimates. They are making huge promises again, which are unfunded and undeliverable.

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government remains committed to schools funding that is fair, equitable, needs based and improves student outcomes. We are making sure that it is being used where it counts—in teacher quality, in a better curriculum, in parental engagement, in supporting principals to make local decisions about their local school. These are the major contributors to improved student outcomes.

The Labor Party believes that the only thing that the education system needs is more money. They pay no attention to the issues of teacher quality. They pay no attention to the fact that, despite more and more money being spent on schools, the student outcomes have deteriorated. Our commitment to parents is simply this: we want to ensure that your children emerge from the school system with better skills in literacy, with better skills in numeracy and being able to understand the digital economy of the 21st century. That is our commitment. That is why we work to improve teacher quality. We are acting on the recommendations of the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group: mandatory national literacy, mandatory national numeracy tests for teachers from July this year. That is our commitment—quality outcomes—not just spending money they do not know where they can find.