Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Allman-Payne. I answer this question as a proud product of the public schooling system. My children attend the public schooling system. Most of my family have taught in the public sector system. So I'm very happy to speak up for the public education system.

The Minister for Education, Mr Clare, has said that Australia has a good education system but it can be a lot better and a lot fairer. Of course, funding of schools is an important component of this. The Albanese government is committed to ensuring that every child has access to high-quality education and is supported to achieve, regardless of their location, background or socioeconomic status. We are committed to working with the states and territories to get every school to 100 per cent of its fair funding level, and negotiations on that are well underway with the states and territories.

For government schools, funding per student is growing year on year, including an increase of seven per cent over the last year, from $3,829 per student in 2022 to $4,096 in 2023. Some non-government schools are currently being funded above 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard, while, under current funding arrangements, most government schools will never get 100 per cent of the SRS. The government's commitment—

I take that interjection, Senator O'Neill. That is the legacy, of course, of 10 years of coalition government. The government's commitment will ensure that every school is appropriately resourced and able to provide a high-quality education to all students. Funding is critical, but so is what it does. The current National School Reform Agreement was signed off in 2018 by the member for Cook, Mr Morrison, and it speaks to the wasted decade and missed opportunities in school education. So, as I say, these matters are currently under negotiation with the states and territories, but the intent of the government is clear. (Time expired)