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

Thanks, Senator Allman-Payne. Again, we're not doing what you're suggesting. We're actually doing exactly the opposite by putting up $16 billion worth of extra funding under our Better and Fairer Schools Agreement. Senator Allman-Payne, I think last time you asked me a question like this and you took the side of teachers, I reminded you that almost my entire family are teachers and I'm well aware of the pressure that they face. I know Senator Allman-Payne is as well. I'm well aware of the pressures that they face, and that's exactly why they deserve our support. That is why they're getting the support of the Albanese government through more funding. The funding that we're providing through our Better and Fairer Schools Agreement will go towards exactly the types of things that you're talking about to ensure that teachers are paid the way they should be and are provided with the resources that they should be, and that we have additional support provided for students who do suffer from particular educational disadvantage. As I say, it's about time that you supported something positive that a Labor government is doing in areas you say you care about, rather than continuing to whinge and achieving nothing at all.