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. Is the Prime Minister proud that he is the first Prime Minister in Australian history to unite the government, Catholic and independent school sectors against his policies? Why is this Prime Minister so devoid of judgement that he ignored the people who teach our kids when they told him that his schools funding regime was profoundly flawed?

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

I thank the member for Sydney for her question. I'm pleased to inform her that under the Turnbull government's education reforms the schools in her electorate will on average be $2½ million better off. The Bourke Street Public School in her electorate will see a 51.4 per cent increase over the decade. That is a result of the Turnbull government's reforms. The member for Maribyrnong, the Leader of the Opposition, has 54 schools in his electorate and 30,000 students, and every school will get more money under the Turnbull government's reforms—an average of over $7.2 million extra for schools in Maribyrnong. The Leader of the Opposition and the member for Sydney should know that when it comes to education we have ended the 27 special deals. We've ended the 27 special deals and we've put in place a fully funded improvement to education funding for Australian students—more than $20 billion extra.

When it comes to the seat of Longman, the Queensland Catholic Education Commission will see its funding increase from just over $9,000 to just over $12,000 per student over the decade—a 36½ per cent increase. When it comes to the seat of Braddon, the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office will see their funding go from over $10,000 per student to over $15,000 per student over the decade—an increase of 44 per cent. In the electorate of Mayo, Catholic Education South Australia will see its funding go from over $9,000 per student today to well over $12,000 per student within the decade—a nearly 40 per cent increase. Mr Speaker, don't look at what Labor says; look at what Labor does. They had 27 special deals. The Turnbull government is increasing funding for school students across the country and across all sectors.