Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Kroger for her question. I noted the comments that were made by the Victorian government in regard to school funding, but any fair-minded person—and I am sure that would include you, Senator Kroger—would have to acknowledge that the Victorian government do not come to this issue with clean hands, particularly when it comes to their program of reduction of funding for schools in the state of Victoria. I take this opportunity to remind the Senate that, in regard to the position that is taken on school funding, this is a government that is committed to ensuring that Australian schools—no matter what their denomination, no matter whether they are public or private—are funded at the highest possible level to ensure that every child in this country gets the best start in life.

What we need to do when it comes to the issue of the Gonski report is to acknowledge also that, while the government on one hand are spending record amounts of money on school education, the Liberal Party has taken another view. It has done its sums very much on the back of an envelope. Its views and its critique of the Gonski report use out-of-date figures. There is no suggestion anywhere here that the government intends to reduce funding. There has been no suggestion by this government at any point other than that it is now in the business of ensuring that there is a proper discussion about the implications of the Gonski report. What it will need to do is ensure that every child continues to get a fair go when it comes to school funding, whether their funds come from the Commonwealth or from state governments. The Liberal Party's attitude is clearly based on assumptions which are incorrect. It is predicating its claims on way out-of-date figures and I suggest, Senator Kroger, that perhaps you get a better briefing on this matter.