John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The provision of education is one of the most important functions of a government. Education is the silver bullet in our society: it gives children hope, life lessons and skills to equip them for the rest of their years. It can shape their futures. Our innovation boom would not be possible without intelligent, well-schooled young people to drive it and ensure our country remains at the cutting edge in many innovative industries. This is why this government is putting so much effort into schools.

The Australian government is providing a record $73.6 billion for school education over the budget forward estimates. This is a growth of $4.1 billion, or 26.5 per cent, between 2015-16 and 2019-20. Current estimates show funding for government schools will increase by 33 per cent and funding for non-government schools will increase by 22.7 per cent over this period. However, achieving better outcomes for our children is not just about money. The funding must be focused on the places it can do the most good. As a result, our policies build on a strong evidence base. This will ensure effort is directed towards the strategies that ensure improved learning outcomes for all Australian students, regardless of their school or background.

This is all detailed in the government's policy paper Quality schools, quality outcomes. This plan continues to focus reform on areas with clear linkages to improved outcomes, including teacher quality and teacher autonomy, engaging parents in education and strengthening the curriculum. Our goals for future reform include: boosting literacy, numeracy and STEM performance;    improving the quality of teaching and school leadership; preparing our students for a globalised world;    focusing on what matters most and those who need it most; and increasing public accountability through improved transparency.

Anybody who says that we are putting less money into schools is simply wrong and probably should go back to school and study a little math. Any figures that suggest this is a comparison of apples with pears. However, this deception from those opposite does demonstrate the importance of a good education and, as our school systems continue to improve through the policies of this government, fewer people will be fooled by such misleading statements.

In my electorate of Bennelong we have some of the best schools in the country and, alongside the impressive Macquarie University, this has allowed Bennelong to rightly call itself the innovation capital of Australia. Over the 2014-17 calendar years, the Australian government is making available a quarter of a billion dollars for all schools in Bennelong, which is a 28 per cent increase in funding. In 2015 alone, each of the 28 government schools will receive an average increase of $351,227, which equates to a rise of over $700 per student. In the early learning sector, the funding provided to families was similarly upped by 19.8 per cent over the same period.

We also have seven higher education providers in the electorate, spearheaded by the mighty Macquarie University, which alone received $412 million last year, which it put towards its world-changing projects. These include the lifesaving Gamma Knife and the world-leading Hearing Hub.

But as with the national figures, the money is in many regards secondary to the quality of the programs which we run and support. For example, the government's Stronger Community Partnership grants have provided facilities in many local schools which have helped to open them up to the community and improve community cohesiveness. Similarly, the Bennelong Cup table tennis tournament is a wonderful initiative which brings together the many disparate communities that live in my electorate. Large diasporas from all over the world call Bennelong home, and the commonality of playing table tennis together brings down the cultural barriers between our children. I remember a moment from the competition a few years ago watching a particularly timid child grow in front of me when his table tennis ability was shown off in front of his school. With his sudden celebrity and popularity came confidence, acceptance, and a renewed zest for school life. If this program can bring this sense of fulfilment to more children it will continue to grow into a roaring success, and I look forward to inviting all members, my parliamentary colleagues, to see eight countries compete in the Bennelong Cup right here in Parliament House on 10 November. (Time expired)

See this speech in context