Sam Birrell (Nicholls, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) Share this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the start of the school year, and I thank the teachers, the principals and the support staff for all their work in classrooms across Australia. The coalition supports strong public schools, but we don't accept Labor's claim that spending announcements alone equal reform and better outcomes.

On Labor's record investment claims, funding announcements are not the same as delivery in classrooms. Australian schools are already highly funded by international standards, and that's good, but students have been going backwards in literacy, numeracy and engagement. So more money without accountability does not guarantee better results for students. Despite the claims of Labor, most public schools will still not reach 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard even at the end of the agreement period. The simple fact is that annual school funding nearly doubled on the coalition's watch, from around $13 billion in 2013 to over $20 billion in 2022. That is the coalition's record of investing in school education—virtually a doubling of annual school funding in nine years. Labor continues to claim this was a cut, but that is a falsehood.

On teachers and workforce shortages, teachers deserve respect, support and safe classrooms, and Labor talks about valuing teachers, but workload, burnout and classroom disruption are driving people out of the profession, and we've got to find ways to keep them in. Teacher shortages are being felt most acutely in regional, rural and remote schools, but there are a number of initiatives to try and address this, such as Teach For Australia and the Nexus program, which I've been involved with.

On teaching incentives and training measures, encouraging people into teaching is important, but getting them to stay is the real challenge. Paid prac and scholarships will not fix shortages if graduates enter classrooms that are unsafe, unsupported and overwhelmed. State governments have a huge role to play in making sure that classrooms are safe, supported and not overwhelmed. The coalition believes teacher training must focus on classroom readiness, behaviour management and practical skills. Bullying, as the previous speaker said, is a real concern. It's unacceptable and must be addressed consistently and decisively. National frameworks mean little if schools lack the authority and support to enforce standards. Clear discipline, early intervention and parental engagement are essential to safe learning environments.

On fairness and equity, a truly fair education system recognises that regional and disadvantaged students face higher costs and fewer options. Equity means funding that follows need, supports choice and delivers opportunity, not 'one size fits all' agreements that are designed and delivered from Canberra. Parents deserve real choice across government, Catholic and independent schools. My mother, who had an exemplary 40 years in the public school system as a teacher, wanted me to go to a public school, and my father wanted me to go to a Catholic boarding school. In the end, I did a bit of both, and they both had their positives.

In closing, the coalition supports public education and teachers, but we will not pretend that a spending announcement equals success. Our focus remains on student outcomes, teacher support, classroom safety and genuine accountability of the system. Australian families deserve an education system that delivers results, not just slogans.

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