Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm speaking in continuation on the Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024. This bill brings a critical issue before the Senate today: the future of our education system.

There is arguably nothing that is more important than this subject. While this bill seeks to amend the Australian Education Act 2013 to increase federal funding for government schools, it falls short of addressing the core challenges facing our classrooms. The government claims that this is a step towards full and fairer funding for our schools, yet nearly three years into their term they have failed to secure a comprehensive national funding agreement. Sadly, only a few states and territories—Tasmania, Western Australia and the ACT—have struck bilateral deals to increase the Commonwealth funding contribution from 20 to 22.5 per cent. Meanwhile, the vast majority of government schools, 81 per cent, remain uncertain about their financial future. This bill also proposes raising the federal share to 40 per cent for Northern Territory schools by 2029, acknowledging the unique challenges that they face in the Territory. While this is welcome, there's no national reform strategy to ensure that every Australian child receives a quality education.

The Albanese government has failed to deliver on its promises, and time is running out, with the current school reform agreement set to expire at the end of 2024, just over one month away. The situation is dire. One in three students are not meeting minimum standards in NAPLAN, and international assessments paint an even bleaker picture. Recent PISA results show that Australian students are falling further behind their global peers, with nearly half of year 10 students struggling to achieve basic reading levels. Instead of improvement, we've seen years of decline, leaving our children unprepared for the future. To make matters worse, Australian classrooms rank among the unruliest in the world. Disruption undermines learning, with students distracted by devices and disengaged from lessons. Teachers cannot do their best work in such an environment. We need a clear strategy to restore discipline, including behaviour management programs and a stronger focus on evidence based teaching methods, like explicit instruction. The Education and Employment References Committee held an inquiry into this issue last year. The significant report that we provided as a committee to the Senate lays out some very important reforms that are necessary. The government needs to respond more sincerely to these recommendations.

I want to applaud the work of AERO in this area by developing resources for teachers, but more needs to be done by the government to drive these reforms across all jurisdictions. I fear that the agreements put in place as part of the funding agreement that this bill deals with doesn't hold the states to the account that is needed. I note that the title of the bill says 'funding and reform', but is it really both? Is it really reform? I would argue that the reforms do not go far enough, and that is something that we as a coalition are arguing. Senator Henderson made this point very clearly in her second reading speech. We are not doing enough as a country. This government, led by the Prime Minister, is not doing enough to address reform. The government's draft reforms, while addressing some areas like phonics checks and attendance goals, lack the depth of real change that is needed. We cannot afford half measures. A truly effective education system demands a back-to-basics approach where literacy and numeracy are prioritised and teachers are equipped with the tools that they require to succeed.

Nowhere are these challenges more evident than in Western Australia. Despite a $1 billion investment, making WA the first state to fully fund its public schools to the school resourcing standard, the teacher shortage crisis is spiralling out of control. Alarmingly, 80 per cent of WA teachers are choosing to leave or considering leaving this honoured profession, citing poor work-life balance and overwhelming workloads.

This situation is made worse by the mental health struggles that teachers face, with stress, anxiety and depression rates up to six times higher than the national average. Even more concerning is that public school teachers in WA experience violence in the workplace 11 times more often than the general population. This of course is unacceptable. On average a violent incident occurs in WA public schools—guess how often; it's not measured in hours—every 45 minutes. Violence is perpetrated in WA public schools every 45 minutes every day. These conditions are simply unacceptable.

As Dr Saul Karnovsky from Curtin University points out, the shortage is leaving schools struggling to staff classrooms, adding to the burden on already overworked teachers. Burnout is rising, and the quality of education is suffering as a result. We must take immediate action to support our teachers, improve their conditions and restore confidence in the teaching profession. Under the coalition we demonstrated how to lift standards. Over nine years we increased school funding significantly. We implemented stronger literacy programs and improved teacher training. Yet the current government falsely claims that we cut billions from education. These claims are baseless and only serve to distract from their own shortcomings.

A major issue lies with the states, which are not meeting their obligations under the Gonski funding model. While the Commonwealth consistently provides its agreed 20 per cent share, states like Queensland and Victoria are falling short, contributing just 69 per cent and 70 per cent respectively instead of the required 80 per cent. This underfunding at the state level leaves schools struggling, and it's where reform must focus. Again, it's about accountability. We need to see more accountability in these agreements.

But funding is only part of the solution. The quality of teaching and curriculum design are equally critical. Universities must improve teacher preparation, focusing on evidence based methods and practical classroom teaching and training. The Albanese government has been slow to act, giving universities until 2025 to update their courses. This delay is unacceptable when our students are already paying the price. Teacher shortages, as I've discussed already, compound these challenges, with many educators overwhelmed by administrative burdens and the overcrowding problem. The government's response—a few scholarships and an advertising campaign—falls woefully short, and we need practical solutions, such as fast-tracking teacher training reforms, cutting red tape and providing better support for mid-career professionals to transition into teaching.

The curriculum itself is another area in desperate need of reform. It's overly complex and fails to focus on foundational skills. Teachers and principals alike have called for a simpler, more targeted curriculum that gives students the essential knowledge that they need to thrive. Without this our education system will continue to lag behind international standards. We need less indoctrination and more education. Let's allow teachers to get back to basics in education. The stakes are high. Research shows that students who fall behind early often struggle to catch up, leading to disengagement and broader social issues. A failure to address these challenges today risks creating a generation ill equipped to meet the demands of tomorrow.

One final point that I'd like to highlight is the value of the private education system. Some in this place seem to take great joy out of attacking the role that it plays. This is sad. Whichever type of education a parent decides to send their children to—faith or non-faith schools, public or private—parents should have the choice. According to data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, the government provides about $14,000 in public funding per public high school student.

ABC News reported last year that private schools received less government funding per student—about $12,000 for Catholic school students and $10,000 for independent and non-government schools. Interestingly, in 2012, 63 per cent of high school students attended public schools, while 34 per cent attended private schools. Today the proportion of high school students in government schools has dropped to 57 per cent, compared to 41 per cent who attend non-government schools.

I don't need to remind senators that education is the absolute bedrock of our society. It shapes the future of our children and, in turn, the nation. This bill offers an opportunity to address some of the critical issues in our schools, but it's far from sufficient. The government must finalise funding agreements with all states and territories, and ensure reforms are comprehensive and deliver real support for teachers and students alike.

The coalition will support this bill because we believe in the importance of investing in education. However, we call on the government to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action to lift our schools to the standards that Australia deserves. Let's give every child the tools to reach their full potential and secure a brighter future for all.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to the Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024. Public education in Australia is significantly underfunded, and this is exacerbating existing disparities in educational outcomes, and it's hindering the potential of millions of students. The funding shortfall is both a matter of resource allocation and a set of broader systemic ideological choices made by both the coalition and the Labor governments about the role of the state in supporting public education.

In a country with significant fiscal and state capacity such as Australia, the underfunding and abandonment of high-quality and free public schools is a choice. This choice is not forced on governments, but it is wilfully made, and it has both short- and long-term negative consequences for our young people and the nation. And so we ask: what is the point of government, if not to provide a world-class public education system for our children and young people? It is so bitterly disappointing that we have a government that refuses to prioritise public schools.

Australia's public schools have been chronically underfunded for decades. Despite the Gonski review recommendations, funding for public schools has consistently fallen short of the necessary levels required to ensure equitable education outcomes for every single child. The Gonski review, released way back in 2011, called for a new funding model that would better address the needs of educationally disadvantaged students and provide a more equitable distribution of school funding across the nation, and yet, a decade after that review, successive governments have failed to fully implement that model. The system as it's currently designed shovels money out the door and into private schools while neglecting public schools. Nobody ever said that 80 per cent of federal government money had to go to private schools, and yet here we are.

I want to be very clear. The policies of this government and previous governments have led to a two-tiered school system. The goals of educational equity and excellence are slipping further out of reach because governments are not investing in public education to the degree that is necessary.

Under the current system and legislation, state and territory governments provide most of the public funding for government schools and the minority of public funding for non-government schools, and it's the reverse for private schools. This system, based on the schooling resource standard, was supposed to ensure that each student attracts the level of funding needed for a good education, with loading for additional need. And the SRS is not an aspirational standard. It's based on the bare minimum level of funding that a school requires to get 80 per cent of students to the minimum standard. We're not even talking about that other 20 per cent. So we have a system where almost no public schools are at 100 per cent of the schooling resource standard and where most private schools are at or above 100 per cent. Where I worked in Gladstone, the public high school got less government money per student than the Catholic school up the road. That is a system that is fundamentally broken.

While the federal government's focus is on funding private schools, states are also allowed to engage in dodgy accounting tricks that include non-educational spending in their share of public school funding, and I note that this dodgy accounting is only allowed with regard to public schools, not private ones. So the public school system is getting dudded again. Due to allowable inclusions in the way states and territories can account for their contribution towards their share of the SRS, public schools will again be left underfunded, despite the new deal signed with WA, Tasmania and the NT. Minister Clare's statement that WA public schools will be fully funded has been labelled as misleading by independent fact checkers.

The underfunding of public schools has a direct and harmful impact on educational outcomes. The evidence is clear that increased funding has a positive effect on educational attainment, particularly for educationally disadvantaged students, the majority of whom are in our public schools. Research consistently shows that additional investment in schools, especially in low-income and educationally disadvantaged areas, leads to improved academic performance, enhanced student wellbeing and more effective teaching and learning. However, in many parts of Australia, public schools are operating with outdated or inadequate facilities, underresourced classrooms and insufficient support for students with highly complex needs. As a result, the students in these schools are at a significant disadvantage when compared to their peers in wealthier private schools.

The underfunding of public schools also has a significant impact on teachers and school staff. Teachers in underfunded schools are often required to work with larger class sizes, outdated resources and insufficient support staff. This not only makes their jobs more difficult, but it also contributes to higher levels of workload intensification, stress, burnout and job dissatisfaction. It is no surprise that teachers are continuing to flee the public education system. Teachers are the backbone of the education system, and their ability to deliver quality education is heavily reliant on the resources that are available to them. Without adequate funding, teachers are forced to spend their own money on classroom materials. For public school teachers, they currently average around $1,000 a year out of their own pocket. They have to take on additional duties beyond their role, and they face an increasingly complex and challenging work environment. This has a detrimental effect on teacher retention, especially in locations with higher need, where the failure of adequate resourcing makes it harder to attract and retain educators.

Underfunding also disproportionately affect students experiencing educational disadvantage, including those from low-income families, First Nations students, those from rural and remote areas and students with disabilities. These students require additional support in terms of financial resources and targeted interventions to overcome the barriers they face in accessing a quality education. However, under the current funding model, these students are often left behind. They're often in the 20 per cent that we're not even accounting for in our funding. Public schools often lack specialised staff such as social workers, mental health professionals and speech therapists who can provide essential supports to students. As a result, public school students may struggle to achieve their full potential, with long-term consequences for their social mobility and life outcomes.

The Greens firmly believe that all students, regardless of their background, should have access to a high-quality education and the support that they need to succeed. This is a rare opportunity to end decades of underfunding and to save public education in this country. Let me be clear. As was pointed out by Senator O'Sullivan, parents are fleeing the public education system. This is what the Greens stand for: world-class, free public education, accessible for every child. We have a fundamental and deeply held belief in the value of public education. It's transformative. The Commonwealth government must raise its offer to fund public schools from a conditional 22.5 per cent of the schooling resource standard to a minimum of 25 per cent because anything less will lock in another decade of underresourcing of our public school system and will condemn another generation of children and young people to a substandard public education. Public education is the fundamental building block of Australian society. If Labor can't fund that properly, what are they doing here?

The government must make a choice. Will it further entrench a two-tier system where public schools which educate the vast majority of educationally disadvantaged students are forced to struggle by on inadequate funding, or will it invest in our children and young people and properly invest in and fund our public schools? Analysis from the Australian Education Union shows that more than half of all Australian private schools receive more government funding per student than comparable public schools. Every single school parent can see that this is a deeply broken, inequitable and damaging system. We have one of the widest inequality gaps in the OECD, and no-one funds their education system like we do. We're an outlier.

Among the government's proposed changes is a proposal to change the Commonwealth share of public school funding from a default cap of 20 per cent to a floor of 20 per cent, including a ratchet mechanism. The Greens are supportive of a positive ratchet on the share of Commonwealth funding for government schools, but the legislated 20 per cent default is a coalition relic. It is astounding that this bill does not guarantee more funding for public schools; it is reheated coalition policy. What the Greens are proposing is simply common sense: ensure that all public schools are fully funded to 100 per cent of the SRS. That starts by lifting the Commonwealth share to a minimum of 25 per cent. It is widely acknowledged that this is what is needed. Given the federal government's significantly greater fiscal capacity, it's a drop in the ocean when compared to other government expenditure. A drop in the ocean to give our kids the best possible shot in life is a price worth paying.

Should the government not be willing to lock in a 25 per cent minimum contribution, at the very least they should establish a floor contribution of 22½ per cent, which is their own policy and is exactly what they are offering to the states. By locking in a 22.5 per cent floor, the government can guarantee at least some rise to the level of public school funding and futureproof it right now against the coalition. For too long, public schools and public-school students have fallen through the cracks, with neither the states nor the federal government interested in delivering 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard.

The Greens will be supporting this bill in order to provide some certainty in case the coalition are elected. While we do not see this bill as even remotely adequate, we are supportive of the ratchet mechanism and the mild increase to public school funding. We have an absurd situation where the federal government, with vastly more revenue than the states and territories, is chiefly responsible for subsidising the overfunded private sector while public schools, who serve the majority of educationally disadvantaged kids in our communities, remain fundamentally less well off. All kids deserve a fully funded public school education. It's what every society should strive for, and in a rich country like ours it should be a given. The community expects the government to ensure every child has access to high-quality, free education, and that is what the Greens will continue to push for.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank all senators for their contributions to this debate. The Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024 is an important bill. It will increase funding for public schools across the country by changing the Commonwealth contribution to the Schooling Resource Standard for government schools.

This bill ties funding to reform under the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement. These reforms will help Australian students catch up, keep up and finish school. It also ties funding to practical things like phonics checks, numeracy checks, evidence based teaching and catch-up tutoring to identify students who need additional support and to make sure they get it.

Under the current settings, the Commonwealth government provides 80 per cent of SRS funding for non-government schools and the state and territory governments provide the other 20 per cent. For public schools it's the reverse; the Commonwealth provides 20 per cent of the SRS funding and the states and territories are supposed to provide at least another 75 per cent. That means there is a five per cent gap. At the last election we promised to work with the states and territories to get all schools on a path to 100 per cent of the SRS and fill that five per cent gap.

What this means is both the Commonwealth government and the states and territories contributing more.

To lift the Commonwealth contribution for public schools, we have to amend the Australian Education Act. At the moment, the way the Australian Education Act works is that the Commonwealth government can provide a maximum of 20 per cent funding of the Schooling Resource Standard, that standard that David Gonski—

Debate interrupted.