Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

While we are on this issue of additional funding, and picking up on the minister's earlier comments in relation to the provisions in the act under 69A, which he would use to deal with any new systems that might get access to funding for the 12-month period in relation to applying a system-weighted average, he indicated earlier that his estimate for the cost of that is $46.5 million, $38.2 million of which is for Catholic schools with the remainder presumably for independent schools. Minister, what other arrangements have you reached with respect to independent schools? I mentioned earlier—and you have not responded to the comments I made in relation to Students First—that the independent school sector said quite clearly to the legislation inquiry that they were hopeful that you would reconsider the position that you gave at Senate estimates about how that would apply into the future. My question is: what other calls will there be for those seeking accommodations that you might utilise section 69A of the act for?