Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today we have seen the federal National Party once again squib the opportunity to stand up for our regional schools. We know that it is country schools that will be hit the hardest by the $30 billion in cuts that have been announced by the government. We know this and the New South Wales National Party have confirmed with their education minister, Adrian Piccoli, who has stood up and fought for Labor's Gonski reforms, saying:

Why was I the strongest advocate across all education ministers? I think it’s because I’m the only National Party minister. Our electorates benefit the most.

Yet once again, when renegotiating their deal with the coalition, the federal National Party just fell in blindly behind the Liberal Party and the minister at the table's $30 billion cuts to education.

If gossip is to be true, we may be lucky enough to see a new education minister but will that new education minister actually stand up and reverse these devastating cuts to our schools? Well, I would not get too excited. We know that the new Prime Minister said:

I support unreservedly and wholeheartedly every element in the Budget. Every single one.

That includes the $30 billion to be ripped from Australian schools—cuts which will mean fewer subject choices, less support for students with disability, literacy and numeracy programs cut, less training and support for teachers— (Time Expired)