Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. This document from the Prime Minister's own office confirms that his government is cutting $22 billion from schools.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Members on my right. The member for Gilmore. The member for Corangamite. The Leader of the Opposition will begin his question again. The Leader of the House will cease interjecting.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This document from the Prime Minister's own office confirms that the government is cutting $22 billion from schools. How is it fair that this government is cutting $22 billion from schools but is giving millionaires a tax cut in just 12 days time?

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

There was a time—perhaps a happy time—when the Leader of the Opposition used to support needs based funding. And he went around the countryside, again and again. It was a glorious era, a golden age perhaps. He was supporting needs based funding. In fact, it was going on until very recently, actually. He used to speak about David Gonski as though he were a secular saint. He said with heartfelt passion, 'I give a Gonski!' with all the empathy of such a compassionate man only caring for the schoolchildren of Australia. But then he was exposed.

Ms Ryan interjecting—

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

The member for Lalor.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

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

Then I ruined it, says the member for Sydney. Oh dear! Yes, it did rather ruin it for you when David Gonski called you out, when David Gonski exposed the hypocrisy and the inconsistency of the Labor Party's nonsense and all of the rubbish and inconsistencies that they perpetrated for years. The member for Sydney and the Leader of the Opposition, under their secret deals—

Ms Ryan interjecting—

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

The member for Lalor is warned!

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

believe that a school with exactly the same needs in one state should get less money than a school in another state, and from one system to another. No consistency, no transparency and certainly not needs based. The only needs it was based on were the political needs of the Labor Party. Let us hear from Ken Boston, one of the architects of the Gonski plan, one of the most distinguished educationalists in Australia.

Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Rubbish!

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

Ha-ha! This is like the court of a renaissance pope. There are excommunications going left, right and centre. David Gonski is thrown to the wall. Ken Boston—out he goes. Who will be purged next? Actually, I correct: it is more like the politburo. All of the heroes of yesterday are being excommunicated by the Labor Party today. At the risk of quoting a heretic, let me quote what Ken Boston said:

Five years after the release and subsequent emasculation of the Gonski Report—

That was by Labor—

Australia has a rare second chance … The progressive elements in Australian education need to recognise that their argument has been won.

…   …   …

It will be a tragedy if the school funding bill is voted down in the Senate.

That was Ken Boston, author of Gonski.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table the government's private media briefing which confirms a $22 billion cut.

Leave not granted.