Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McKenzie for her continued passionate advocacy in relation to school funding reforms and to a fair deal for all Australians, particularly for regional and rural schools, who are big winners under these reforms. Of course, I know that somebody else who cares greatly about rural and regional Australia is former Senator Edwards, who I am delighted to see in the gallery—a fine champion of regional issues, particularly in my home state of South Australia.

There has been a further wave of endorsements and support for the Turnbull government's school funding reforms—a further wave that I am delighted has been led by none other than a former president of the Australian Education Union. Finally, some of those who seem to have been simply colluding with the Labor Party for political gain have actually realised that there are real gains to be had. The former president of the AEU, Ms Dianne Foggo, has said, 'But, you know, this is just too big for politics. This is a real opportunity, and honestly I am just over the theatrics of this, because if this opportunity slips past, as I said, I just doubt we are going to get another chance at this.' Ms Foggo continued: 'Why wouldn't we all support something which will give pre-eminence to public schools in Australia? Why wouldn't we support something indeed that delivers the type of model that was recommended by the Gonski panel?' Ms Foggo asks some very fine questions for those opposite, who continue to sit in opposition to these reforms. Why they sit in opposition is of course purely for political opportunism. They continue to seek to muddy the waters of school funding to be in a position to create special deals and arrangements, rather than apply what the very panel that they appointed actually recommended in terms of fair, consistent, needs based funding. That is why we have had that endorsement from Ms Foggo and from a range of other stakeholders, not least Mr Gonski himself.