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

I thank Senator McKenzie for her question and her deep and long-term interest in relation to school education, the quality of school education and, of course, addressing inconsistencies in relation to school funding. Indeed, we have such inconsistencies that we are seeking to address them. Our government inherited 27 different school funding models, different deals that were based on a whole range of legacy arrangements, and what we are seeking to do is, as David Gonski recommended, clean up that mess and ensure there is a consistent approach to the application of need right across Australia.

Those opposite seem to want to put special interests first. The Turnbull government are putting fairness first. We want to ensure that, wherever students are, they are treated on an equal basis—that across states they are treated equally by the Commonwealth government and across schooling sectors they are treated equally by the Commonwealth government. This is about ensuring equality of treatment, as informed, recommended and now supported and endorsed by Mr Gonski himself.

We are underpinning this with a record level of investment that in 2017 sees $17.5 billion from the Commonwealth supporting Australian school students. By 2027 that grows to some $30.6 billion of investment. But, most importantly, we not only want to gear and ensure that investment is distributed fairly, equitably and according to need, but we are determined to ensure it is used in ways that are informed by best practice to improve the quality of school education. That is the work that Mr Gonski will undertake for us—to ensure every single additional dollar of the billions we are investing in Australian schools is used to deliver quality school outcomes right around Australia. We are committed to long-term legislative certainty through our reforms to Australian schools so they can plan with confidence for the future and, in planning with confidence, invest in resources they need. (Time expired)