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

We want to deliver a fair deal for every state and territory that is applied consistently. We are not into doing different deals for different states or different deals for different sectors; we are into ensuring that it is fair and equitable everywhere. It is only those sitting opposite who thought it was a good idea to run around the country before the 2013 election stitching up 27 different deals and different agreements that treated different states differently, that treated different sectors differently and that increased inequity across the education system.

This government want to ensure fairness, equity and needs based funding and that it is genuinely delivered and targeted towards real reforms in Australia schools—real reforms that can improve a declining level of school performance over the years. It is critical to us to make sure that billions of extra dollars are invested where they will make the most difference. That is why we are having a needs based funding formula that is consistent. That is why we are undertaking the hard yards to identify the reforms that are required. (Time expired)