Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

We have seen sustained growth in school funding in Australia. Since 1988, there has been a doubling in real terms. Since 2003, there has been a 50 per cent increase in funding in real terms. We have seen under this government spending between 2014 and 2017 increasing by 38 per cent. This year we will invest around $16 billion into supporting Australian schools. That will grow to more than $20 billion by 2020. That is growth above inflation, above enrolment. It is real growth at record levels.

We need to heed the advice of people such as Geoff Masters, the chief executive of the Australian Council for Educational Research, who says this 20-year slide in maths and science learning is a national challenge. The answer is not to do more of the same. The answer is not to continue the arguments of those opposite, who say, 'Simply pump more money in, but never focus on how you can get the best result and how you can best invest it.' That is what we are committed to doing. (Time expired)