Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join you in welcoming the delegation. My question is to the Prime Minister. The federation green paper states, 'The Commonwealth would no longer provide a funding contribution to government schools.' Can the Prime Minister outlined the options for states to make up the difference in the federation green paper?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Usually after a series of questions to me, they do not ask me questions for months and months! I am very much enjoying the opportunity to be back on the very strong ground for the government of school education in this country. I find it remarkable that the Labor Party would want to be talking about this subject when they presided over the collapse of literacy and numerously rates for our students when they were in government.

In the six years between 2007 to 2013, most of the state and territory governments were Labor. In fact, I think at one point every government was Labor. Over the last 10-year period, outcomes in literacy and numeracy for Australian students have crashed not just relative to our competitor countries but in absolute terms. The House might not remember, so I will remind them, that over that period spending on schools increased by 40 per cent. Spending increased and results declined under Labor's watch. That is because Labor never focused on the basic things that parents know make a difference in schools—teacher quality, for example. The OECD says that for Australia teacher quality is the No. 1 determinant of the outcomes for Australian students. More than any other country in the OECD, it is teacher quality. So what are we doing in the Abbott government? We are focusing on reforming teacher training at universities

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Madam Speaker: it is a straight answer, but not to the question that was asked. Do you reckon for the second half he could be relevant? Because that has not even approached it.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was very nearly out of order. The minister has the call.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As usual, you are being very generous to the opposition about their questions. I do appreciate the opportunity to talk about the Australian government's record of achievement in school education. Not only are we are focusing on teacher training at university with the cooperation of all of the universities and the states and territories but we are also focusing on getting more autonomy in schools. That is because all of the research shows that the more autonomy is in schools, the better the outcomes are for students. Every state and territory has signed up to that.

We have reformed the national curriculum. From next year, primary school curriculum will be decluttered. Four subjects will be concertinaed into one subject; that means 'all put together' for those of you on the other side of the House who are not aware. There will be more room in the curriculum for teachers to focus on science, maths and English. We fixed school funding. We put the $1.2 billion back in. We are increasing school funding every year: eight per cent, eight per cent, six per cent and four per cent. That adds up to a 28 per cent increase over the next four years.

I am very proud of our record of achievement in school funding. I look forward to any more questions from the opposition on this subject.