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

I thank Senator Williams for his question and for his, I am sure, exemplary work at the Bundarra public school on Saturday, where I have no doubt that they would have been supporting Barnaby Joyce because of Senator Williams' advocacy. Senator Williams is right that those opposite will stoop to any level, any depth, in terms of the lies they will tell, the mistruths they will spread, and the scare campaigns they will run, on any level and on any issue, including school funding.

Senator Williams, thank you for highlighting the fact that funding goes up in Bundarra, as it does for schools right around Australia under our fairer, needs-based model that is more consistent with the recommendations that David Gonski handed down in his review a number of years ago now. Indeed, that flows through to the schools that Senator Williams has highlighted that happen to be in the electorate of Bennelong—where I am equally confident that the Labor Party will be out there spreading more lies and mistruths and scare campaigning. St Gerard's Catholic Primary School, as part of the Catholic education system in New South Wales, will see their funding grow from some $2 billion for that system next year up to some $2.9 billion by 2027—significant strong growth. Ryde Secondary College, a very large secondary school in the government system in New South Wales with 1,000 students, will see its funding grow from some $2.8 million in 2018 up to $4.3 million by 2027. Indeed, because it is a needs-based model, let's look at the Macquarie University Special Education Centre, a centre with 44 students of very high needs. Under the needs-based model, they, of course, see the strongest growth—from $900,000 up to $1.9 million or, in per student terms, support of some $40,000 per student that will be delivered. (Time expired)