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. The Australian today revealed that the anger stemming from the government's decision to rip out $250 million of school funding isn't confined to the Victorian branch of the Catholic education system, as the minister has implied, and that schools across Australia are voicing their anger directly to their MPs. Can the minister confirm that two-thirds of the 44 Catholic schools in the Broken Bay diocese have recorded declines in enrolments for this year, after the schools were forced to increase fees? Have concerns been raised by any of the coalition MPs covering the Broken Bay diocese, including Ms Lucy Wicks, Mr John Alexander, Mr Tony Abbott, Mr Trent Zimmerman, Mr Jason Falinski, Mr Julian Leeser, Mr Paul Fletcher and Mr Alex Hawke?

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

I thank Senator O'Neill for her question. To go specifically to the question in relation to enrolment numbers, I'm sure the senator would know that I don't precisely have enrolment numbers. I am aware of reports and I have looked back at some of the My School data surrounding some of the schools that have been reported upon and I can say that over a number of years a number of those schools have seen reductions in terms of their student enrolments. Of course, I am sure Senator O'Neill would understand that there are many factors that can impact upon the enrolment numbers in a school: the demographics of a certain community, the perceptions of that school—a whole range of different impacts. And, of course, for a number of those schools over a number of years we can see there have been steady enrolment declines that certainly pre-date any decisions of this government or, certainly, legislation passed by this chamber.

But I do note the senator's comments, to continue to mislead about the notion of school funding cuts—indeed, her reference to Labor's alleged promise of additional funding that has been made to Archbishop Hart. I wonder where all the letters to all the other school sectors are? I wonder where the letter is to the New South Wales government, which Senator O'Neill should be so concerned about? Where is the letter to the New South Wales government saying how much extra funding they would get from Mr Shorten? And I do acknowledge former minister Adrian Piccoli in the gallery today, and Professor John Hattie with him—both outstanding educators.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order on my left.

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

But where are the letters to all of the state and territory ministers telling them how much extra money they are going to get?

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order on my left.

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

Where are the letters to the other school funding administrators telling them how much extra they are going to get?

Senator O'Neill interjecting—

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

Order on my left.

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

Where are the letters to the individual non-government administrators telling them how much extra they are going to get?

Senator Jacinta Collins interjecting—

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

Senator Collins!

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

Of course, there are no such letters, because you've only written one letter today, because you're not standing on any principle when it comes to school funding, because you've thrown all principle out the door in favour of special deals. (Time expired)

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

Before we proceed, Senator O'Neill, while Senator Birmingham is blessed with a very strong voice I am still having trouble hearing him. I call on Senators Collins and O'Neill, who are also blessed with very strong voices, but cursed by having a seat so very close to me that I can hear constant interjections.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Yelling over voices from my left, Senator Wong! Senator O'Neill, a supplementary question.

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

Does the minister agree with Dennis Shanahan when he says:

… the biggest non-state school sector in Australia was facing a short-term funding cliff and a long-term loss under Education Minister Simon Birmingham's restructured school funding.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order on my left—Senators Cameron and Carr on this occasion, and Senator Colbeck. We are at least going to commence the answer to the question with some silence.

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

No, I do not. I am more than happy to highlight that, as part of the extra $25 billion the Turnbull government has put into school funding across Australia over the next decade, around $4 billion of that additional funding flows into Catholic Education systems, so that they see growth in their per-student funding that will exceed estimated inflation growth and estimated wages growth, so that they can deliver quality services into their schools, so that they can maintain the work for the outstanding educators in their schools, and so that they continue to support the students in those schools, who are sent there by hardworking parents who work hard and sacrifice to make sure their kids can get the best possible opportunity in their education. We are determined to make sure school funding in this nation is delivered according to the needs of the students in those schools, not based on what deals can be stitched up in back rooms. School funding should be transparent, open and needs based, and that is what the Turnbull government is pursuing.

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

Does Minister Birmingham agree with Greg Sheridan, who today wrote:

… Birmingham appears to be the politically stupidest, most counterproductive education minister the federal Liberals have produced.

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

I'll give that question the respect it deserves and highlight to those opposite that the Turnbull government has done what you lacked the guts to do. We took the true recommendations of the Gonski report and ensured they are applied in a way that is fair to everybody and provides growth in funding but is based on principle. You have no principles. You walked away from the Gonski report the moment you got it, saying we'd have a series of deals instead of consistency of school funding. You walked away from it at the 2013 election when you ripped $1.2 billion worth of funding out of state schools in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. You have walked away from it now in cobbling together a policy that doesn't address precisely what you're going to do in the long term for the bulk of students across Australia. You have not told any state government what your funding means for them, because you don't know. (Time expired)