Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for School Education: in light of the OECD report Education at a glance 2012, which states that socioeconomic status is still strongly linked to educational attainment in Australia, what action needs to be taken to break that link in this generation?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Crossin for this question and her for longstanding interest in education. The latest OECD report confirms the clear advantage enjoyed by the well-heeled in this country. It is people from wealthy backgrounds who get the best out of education, which gives them, as a group, a privileged start in life. The OECD report makes it clear that much more needs to be done to assist the disadvantaged.

The solution is very, very clear: it is new investment. What the NAPLAN results confirm is that Labor's funding increases have improved literacy, have improved numeracy and have improved attendance for the disadvantaged. We want to work with schools to offer every child the very best educational experience. This is the first priority of the Labor government. It is the last consideration of the Liberals. What we have seen, and it can be confirmed now in state budgets right across the country, is that the Liberals have taken their savings from the pockets of the most disadvantaged.

Let us have a look at New South Wales, where even Stuart Ayres, the member for Penrith, concedes that there be will cuts to front-line education. In New South Wales, we have funding cuts to 272 special needs schools. New South Wales are losing some 1,300 staff from the school system. New South Wales were promised 200 new literacy and numeracy teachers and they will get a mere 50. This is the Tory vision of education. This is the Tory vision of class politics. They will stop at nothing in terms of their attacks on the disadvantaged.

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my supplementary question then, based on that answer, is: what impact does the government expect the cuts in those states will have on students who are disadvantaged and will have on students who particularly come from the regions?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that my colleagues from the National Party have been asserting that they have some interest in this matter. I could remind them of their new policy platform, and that is that 'The Nationals believe that from preschool to university the higher standards and equality of access to education is fundamental to all Australians, regardless of where they live'. So how can they defend their Tory mates and the attacks that they have launched upon disadvantaged students, particularly in the regions of this country?

If you take my home state of Victoria, student bus subsidies have been slashed by the Baillieu government in that state. This is money that has helped to pay for buses that service the regions every day. Some 7,500 students in rural and regional areas have been left stranded in Victoria. This is on top of the scrapping of the School Start Bonus and the gutting of the Education Maintenance Allowance. So we know that it is parents from particularly disadvantage backgrounds— (Time expired)

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, through you to Senator Carr, as a former teacher—and as I am a former teacher—I am interested to know: what do these cuts means for class sizes, for school fees, for resources in schools and for student support?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is quite clear: fees will rise, class sizes will rise, student support will fall, and the education authorities have made that very, very clear. Let us look at Queensland. There is 0.3 per cent registered for indexation in that state. That is less than 10 per cent of the national figure. Of course, it does not even begin to cover the costs that are growing in education across the country. I have argued in the past that those on the other side are still raging against the enlightenment. Well, if ever you need an example of that you only have to look at these cuts. These cuts to education mean that you are the peddlers of ignorance. You have been pursuing a policy aimed at undermining the opportunities for the poorest members of this community, for the most disadvantaged members of this community, and that is why you will be condemned. You will be condemned across this country for your hostility to providing opportunities that all Australians have a right to expect. (Time expired).