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

My question is to the Prime Minister. On 2 August the Prime Minister said: 'We want to end the uncertainty, by guaranteeing that no school will be worse off over the forward estimates period.' What guarantee can the Prime Minister give that under his plan schools will not be worse off as a result of actions by the Commonwealth or state governments?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our guarantee is that we will spend $1.2 billion more over the forward estimates than was envisaged by the Leader of the Opposition. I am sure members opposite will be interested in the statement of the Premier of New South Wales on this matter. He said, 'Mr Abbott should be commended for restoring $1.2 billion of education funding which was deceitfully removed by the Labor government in its dying days.' He went on: 'Tony Abbott's handling of this issue is a refreshing change to the way Labor engaged with the states.'