Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to add briefly the Greens' comments in relation to these amendments as moved by the opposition. I understand the intent of what the opposition is trying to do. However, we feel very strongly that we have to find a better way to ensure that states do not crab walk away from their responsibilities. We do not want to see cost-shifting in education. One of the reasons why we supported and pushed for the amendment to lock states in in the previous amendment dealt with earlier tonight is we are worried, and we know it happens, that states and territories will try and save on their education budgets. Federal, state and territory governments do it all the time, and we have to put in place a mechanism for that to not happen.

We are worried that there is no incentive to make sure that states continue to fund our schools properly. I understand the desire to make sure our schools are all funded properly. The Greens will support the opposition in every step to do that. However, this amendment, I think, will undermine that by the fact that you cannot have a state government just pull their funding because it suits them or because they want to fund a new road or something else come election time. They have to be committed to funding our schools to get good quality education in our public system.

The CHAIR: The question is that opposition requests for amendments (1), (3), (5), (11), (17) and (19) on sheet 8155 be agreed to.