Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

You ripped out $1.2 billion. We restored it. We not only increased funding to schools every year; we restored the $1.2 billion you ripped out when you were trying to repair the debt and deficit that you left us. I would say that that is a very, very good start.

Senator O'Neill interjecting—

Let's go to the issue, Senator O'Neill, of disability funding, which you also raised. I think the AEU and Senator Wright have sunk to a new low today, shamelessly creating fear over funding for disabled school students—which Senator O'Neill has taken up. So here are some facts. There is a needs-based disability loading. It was introduced by this government in 2014 as part of the new school-funding arrangements. The loading is based on the current state and territory definitions of 'disabled student', and so every student who meets this definition attracts the loading. There has been no cut to Australian government support for students with disability. In fact, there is more funding—

Senator O'Neill interjecting—

for students with disability than ever before. The government is providing $5.2 billion for students with disability over the period 2014 to 2017, including over $1.2 billion for students with disability in 2015 alone.

On all of these issues, the Labor Party is not telling the truth. At least Senator Cameron, in his embarrassment, managed to acknowledge that he was not telling the truth. I hope Senator O'Neill, when she gets up, will make the same recognition—that she has gotten it wrong. (Time expired)