Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today 60 teachers and principals from around Australia came to Canberra to speak about something that my Labor colleagues and I are incredibly passionate about—that is, giving every Australian child the start to life they deserve by properly funding our schools. I want to acknowledge the educators who are here today with us.

There were no teachers from the electorate of Hotham here today, but there were teachers from Brandon Park Primary School and John Monash Science School in the electorate of Chisholm. They came all the way to Canberra to speak with their local representative about the deep funding cuts and the impacts they will have on their students. The member for Chisholm would not meet with these two teachers—

Opposition members: Shame!

these teachers who devote their working lives to educating the students that the member for Chisholm represents in this chamber. Because of the Turnbull government's cuts to education, schools around Chisholm—public schools—will lose $9.3 million over this year and next year. That's $9.3 million that could have helped fund more students, more teachers to help students with disability, and more one-on-one time for the students that need it. The AEU has done some polling that the member for Chisholm might be interested in. Seventy-nine per cent of Australians say that proper funding in schools is more important than a $65 billion handout to our businesses.

I want to thank the teachers for being here today. Perhaps your local member will have a chance to meet with you when you're back in the electorate.