Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Most of us know someone with a child who is struggling at school, struggling to fulfil their potential. I know what it's like to be a struggling parent, worried about how to give your kids the best start in life. That's why I'm a massive fan of indie schools. When I tell people about indie schools, they think I mean 'independent schools', but those schools have fees and support from religious groups—and that's fine, but there are families who can't afford private schools like that. Most of those families go to public schools, and, yes, they need a lot more funding. But they do their best. If you're from a loving family with two parents, public school may work; that's great. But there are too many kids that don't have that. That's where these indie schools come in. They were funded as part of the Gonski reforms—yours over there, the red team—and education reforms that allocated dollars to kids who need them the most.

There are 23 indie schools all over Australia; Tassie has six of them, and we are grateful. I spent an hour last week at the latest one at Glenorchy in Hobart. These schools have a high ratio of teachers to students, and building the kids' confidence is a priority. The head of Glenorchy told me about a student who has gone from wagging daily, totally switched off, to completing a bridging course before starting a law degree at UTas. I don't have the space here to list all the great things that indie schools do for our kids, and I've been to the Devonport and Burnie campus and heard the same stories over and over. It's brought tears to my eyes for the last few years.

But there is a problem. The current funding model for indie schools runs out at the end of this year. That's because indie schools are in the same funding bucket as independent schools, the ones that have fees and help from religious organisations. The Labor government needs to fix this, because Gonski was their baby, right? If anyone in Labor hasn't visited their local indie school, then I'd suggest you go down and see one as soon as possible. These schools are changing the lives of our most disadvantaged kids in society, and short-changing the kids doing it the hardest will never ever give them a second chance at life. Bring in the indie schools!