George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Dastyari, that is simply not true. We are increasing funding to $20 billion over the next four years. There is no aspect of schooling and there are no services being provided to school students which need to be reduced, because our funding is increasing from $16 billion this year to $20 billion by 2020.

Senator Dastyari, you refer to the report by Mr David Gonski. Mr David Gonski's report was based on the principle of needs based funding—spending the money where it is most needed—and that is precisely the principle that underpinned the announcement made by the Prime Minister and Senator Birmingham yesterday. Let me just repeat it, Senator Dastyari, because you do not seem to be getting the message: we are spending more money on schools funding than any Australian government has ever spent.