Sam Lim (Tangney, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Tangney has 43 public schools, and through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, all these schools are on the path to full and fair funding. When we came to government, private schools were fully funded, but this was not the case for public schools. Through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement we are delivering an additional $16.5 billion in Commonwealth funding to public schools over the next decade.

In WA, this means an extra $2.4 billion for all our public schools. It is the biggest new investment in public schools by the Australian government ever. I speak with teachers, principals, families and students in my electorate of Tangney, who tell me that this funding is much needed. They love public school and they recognise the crucial role our public schools play in our society. They want to see a fairer education system. The funding is tied to real and practical reforms, such as phonics checks and numeracy checks, evidence based teaching, and small group tutoring to help children who need the extra support. Under the agreement, every state and territory will have a year 1 phonics check this year. In 2028, every state and territory will have numeracy check.

I have spoken before about a teacher who changed my life, and I think many of us will agree that teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the public school teachers in Tangney. Their dedication and their belief in their students helps shape not only the future of individual students but the future of our community and our society.

We need more teachers. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of students studying teaching dropped 22 per cent. We are now seeing a big turnaround in the number of people studying teaching degrees, and that number has bounced back by 20 per cent. Early data this year shows another increase in university offers. We have invested $160 million in the Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships program, which is delivering 5,000 scholarships over five years. In return for the scholarship, teachers need to commit to working in public schools for up to four years.

For the first time ever, the Australian government is delivering paid prac, including for teaching students while they undertake their mandatory placements. Students in Tangney have told me about the costs and financial stress of having to do mandatory placement. Paid prac provides a bit of help. More than 58,500 students have benefited so far.

Bullying in schools is a big problem. With the internet, it means that bullying follows kids from school to home, and everyone can see what is happening. There is no escape. This is why the government commissioned the Anti-Bullying Rapid Review. Last October, the education ministers adopted the review's recommendations. We announced $10 million to help fast-track the implementation of the review's findings. They agreed to a national plan that includes all schools taking initial steps to respond to bullying within two school days. We want children and their families to feel confident that bullying will be managed. The Albanese Labor government is delivering on our commitment to build a better and fairer education system.

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