Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. I refer to former Prime Minister Abbott, who yesterday told 2GB that the Turnbull government education policy was, 'going to make low-fee schools in middle-class suburbs almost impossible to run'. Is former Prime Minister Abbott correct?

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

I thank the senator for her question. The answer to her question is no. The reality is that the Turnbull government's reforms are ensuring that schools across Australia are receiving fair, consistent funding. It sees growth in funding lift to around $23 to $25 billion over the next decade. We see real, consistent, needs based funding being applied. It means that non-government schools, regardless of their background, affiliation or otherwise will be funded based on their need.

The Turnbull government believes schools should be funded based on the need of the children in those schools, not on the political deals that can be done, like the Labor Party seeks to do. When the Gonski report was handed down the response of the then Labor government was to say, 'Let's do a bunch of special deals rather than apply the Gonski report.' In the context of the 2013 election, the then Labor government ripped $1.2 billion out of the schools-funding budget. They took that money away from states like Western Australia and Queensland and from the Northern Territory as well. Then they had the gall to come into this chamber and vote against the Turnbull government's application of the Gonski reforms. They voted against a model that was endorsed by David Gonski himself, that was endorsed by a number of other members of the original Gonski panel. Now, in a reversion right back to the start of Mr Shorten's response to the original Gonski report, they are trying to go back to do special deals. The truth is there is additional funding to core school sectors right around the country, to the independent sector, the Catholic sector and the government sector, but it is being delivered fairly and consistently on the basis of need. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Neill on a supplementary question.

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I again refer to former Prime Minister Abbott, who said, 'If the government was smart, we would have a look at our existing policy.' Given that even coalition MPs recognise the need to revise the government's policy, why won't the minister take up former Prime Minister Abbott's suggestion?

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

The government is indeed working through some of the issues that were raised by Catholic Education in terms of the socioeconomic status review. We are doing that by having adopted a recommendation from the Gonski panel report to have an independent National School Resourcing Board, on which Catholic Education and others are represented. That will report by the middle of this year.

The opposition appears to have again rejected that approach. They have rejected the work of the independent National School Resourcing Board that is looking at these issues, in favour of going ahead and playing politics once again. It is little wonder that the Council of State School Organisations has slammed the opposition for their tactics and what they've done. It's little wonder that they have described Mr Shorten's policy as a partisan move by the Leader of the Opposition, which has astonished many parents, families and staff teams of public schools. They have criticised it as going against fair, simple, transparent and truly needs based funding agreements—and so it does. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Neill, a final supplementary question.

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Given that former Prime Minister Abbott recognises that Catholic schools will 'suffer a big loss in funding' has Minister Birmingham sought advice from former Prime Minister Abbott about how to work collaboratively with friends and colleagues?

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

The truth for Catholic education across Australia is that, on a per student basis, funding is growing quite significantly. In terms of additional funding, Catholic education around the country will this year receive around 4.7 per cent more funding than they received last year. Over the course of the next four years there is more than 20 per cent growth; over the course of the next decade, it is closer to 56 per cent. That is real, strong growth in funding into Catholic ed—above inflation and above wages growth—along with real additional funding into public schools, who have been so critical today of the Labor Party's policy. And all of it will be delivered according to a consistent principle. The shame of those opposite is that you have thrown any principle out the door in favour of politicking. You have wasted the time of David Gonski and his panel, you have turned your back on their work and instead you just think you can buy votes in schools rather than fund them according to the needs of their students.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham has run out of time for his answer. What is the point of order related to?

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is that the minister is misleading David Gonski.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Take your seat, Senator Collins. I have called you to order on numerous occasions. I would ask you to at least pause between interjections when I do call you to order.