Dai Le (Fowler, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, congratulations for your election to speakership and also, to the Prime Minister and your government, for a strong result in May. The red wave certainly rolled through. My question is to the Prime Minister. Your government says all public schools are on the path to full and fair funding and that no-one will be left behind. In Fowler, Bonnyrigg high has over 40 demountables and almost double the students it was built for. With 2,000 new homes under construction nearby in New Leaf, the local P&C have asked me about why their Commonwealth infrastructure funding was rejected. What federal funding will the Labor government commit to fixing critical infrastructure in disadvantaged schools like Bonnyrigg?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I might ask the member—and I thank the member for Fowler for her question—whether it's a public school, if that's okay.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just for a point of clarification, I understand that was Bonnyrigg public school.

Dai Le (Fowler, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes—Bonnyrigg High School; it's a public school.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question, and I'll make two points. One is that the funding of infrastructure in public schools is conducted by state governments. What we have done through the reforms and the agreement that I signed with the New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns, is to provide an additional $4.8 billion for New South Wales public schools. What that will do as part of the programs right across the country is take the Gonski formula—the school resourcing standard that was determined in 2012—so that every single student, whether they go to a private school or a public school, will get the funding they need and deserve.

In particular, disadvantaged communities will be the big winners, because what will occur is that funding of that additional $4.8 billion overwhelmingly will go towards disadvantaged communities and towards schools where students might need the additional dollars for additional tutoring, smaller class sizes, one-on-one education or education in small groups. It also will provide for additional resources in terms of teaching. Part of the deal is funding not just for students; in addition, the state governments, including New South Wales, have agreed to lift standards. There will be a real concentration on numeracy and literacy—on those basics—which will be so important going forward.

We are really proud of the reforms that we have put in place. Capital funding remains, for public schools, the domain of state and territory governments. As the Commonwealth, we provide funding for private schools. But what this is really doing is making sure that every parent can have the confidence that their child will get the support that they need, including in the electorate of Fowler.