Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

we have been spending more money every single year. The reality is this: that we cannot keep on managing school education in the same way that we have in the past. We need to change the way the money is spent. The reality is that we are spending more but we are getting worse outcomes. What the Labor Party says is, 'Spend even more.' They are not prepared to recognise that we need to invest in programs that will deliver better results. We are focused on that very need. We are seeking to address these failures or these declines in performance. We have got a back-to-basics focus on more teachers specialising in literacy and numeracy. I hear sighs from members opposite. Literacy and numeracy—that is what those tests are about, I would remind honourable members opposite. We are falling behind in that area. We have got to focus on it. We are ensuring more teachers are qualified to teach STEM subjects. We are ensuring that students complete a maths or science subject as a prerequisite to get a tertiary ranking and we are setting minimum literacy and numeracy standard rates for year 12s. I would cite the Grattan report on this subject released just this week, which says that money alone:

… cannot create a school system that gives every Australian child a fair chance in life. … It must be spent well.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

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