Thank you, Senator Hutchins; I will certainly do that. The national education agreement includes an extra $635 million for government primary schools. Primary schools are the bedrock of our education system. Students who get a good start at primary school have a much better chance of completing year 12 and going on to further study. Primary schools do not just provide the basic building blocks of literacy and numeracy; they also shape children’s attitudes to learning, which of course are critical to everything that follows.

The new agreement ends the unfair practice of funding primary schools at a lower rate than secondary schools. Starting from 1 January, both will be funded at the same rate. This translates into a funding increase of around $100 per student for government primary schools. These schools will now be even better placed to undertake their vital work. (Time expired)