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. A little while ago, the New South Wales Liberal Minister for Education stood up with the New South Wales shadow minister for education, with a union, teachers and principals, and said: 'We're not asking for special treatment, we're not asking for a special deal; we're just asking for the deal we currently have to be honoured.' Why won't the Prime Minister honour the schools deal with the New South Wales government instead of cutting $22 billion? Mr Speaker, I would like to table the photograph of the press conference.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. She can seek leave to table a document at the end of the answer. That is the convention. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Over the next 10 years, Commonwealth funding in New South Wales per student is going to increase by 4.8 per cent every year—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister can resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition knows the rules on props. If the Leader of the Opposition and other members want me to take more stringent action—I have been reasonably lenient on the subject; too lenient, in fact, particularly with respect to newspapers, which is outlined in the PracticeI can reiterate the Practice in tedious detail, if members want that. When I ask someone not to use props, I expect them to comply. And I can say to the Leader of the Opposition that it cuts both ways. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Schools in New South Wales will receive average annual growth per student over the decade of 4.8 per cent. What the Commonwealth is doing, what my government is doing, is delivering precisely what David Gonski called for: transparent, consistent needs based funding. What the Labor Party did was a series of special deals. I can well imagine that those that got the best deals would want to hang on to them and leave those that were left behind, like Western Australia, very far behind. The fact is all Australians school students should be treated fairly. They deserve full needs based funding—consistent and transparent across the nation. Labor used to call for it. They have given up on it. They are now trying to stick with their secrecy and their special dealing. It will take 150 years to get to the right level of funding under their model; it will be done in 10 years under ours. We are doing it, we are getting on with it, exactly as Gonski recommended.

Ms Ryan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lalor is warned. Is the member for Sydney seeking leave to table a document?

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

I am. It is the transcript of the press conference with Minister Rob Stokes—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, the member for Sydney will resume her seat. Leave is not granted. Since we are on the subject of props, documents and tabling, I am going to make it very clear again: I have outlined that, with publicly available documents, I will not even ask for leave. If I am ignored, I will have to take further action on that subject as well, which will mean leaving the House immediately.