Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister Data from the New South Wales government confirms that Sarah Redfern Public School in Minto in south-west Sydney will lose $960,000 over the next two years alone. Today I spoke to the principal of Sarah Redfern High, who says these cuts will mean up to eight fewer teaching positions as well as reduced support for at-risk students, Indigenous students, English-as-a-second-language, and gifted and talented students. How is it fair that this high school loses money while the elite King's School gets a $19 million increase?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can confirm to the member for Sydney that, in New South Wales, the government schools will receive a 4.8 per cent increase under the Turnbull government's plan, the Catholic schools will receive a 3.6 per cent increase under the Turnbull government's plan and the independent schools will receive a 3.8 per cent increase under the Turnbull government's plan.

As for the Labor opposition's commitments, well, we know that the member for Sydney is talking about 'funny money'. This is what she had to say when she was asked on Sky about the $22 billion over the next decade. She said: 'Well, we'll have to work out exactly what the figures are as the next election approaches.' This is what the member for Port Adelaide had to say when he was asked about the funny money: 'It's not going to be $22 billion, necessarily.' So you cannot take the Labor Party at their word.

But what you can do is take the Turnbull government's word, and we are moving to increase school funding by $18.6 billion. We are helping more than 9,000 schools be better off, with a 75 per cent increase. According to the member for Sydney's own electorate, we will see 40 schools, 14,000 students, better off by an average of $2.5 million under the Turnbull government's plan.