Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Hansard source

I was extremely concerned to read this week that WA's NAPLAN results were amongst the worst in the country, with 40 per cent of year 3 students below the reading benchmark and 38.5 per cent below the numeracy benchmark. According to the Grattan Institute's Amy Haywood, that's at least 46,000 students across WA that are not on track. That's not just a number; that's thousands of futures at risk. In these foundational years, falling behind can impact a child's entire educational journey. It seems trite to say, but children are our future, and, if we really mean that, then we need to start acting like it. WA classrooms are under immense pressure, and teachers are stretched, trying to cater to kids with complex needs and behavioural challenges, all while managing large classroom sizes. Victoria averages one teacher for 20 students, while WA teachers face 27.

The funding of schools by the state government is hampered by WA's limited share of GST revenue. Despite WA's economy carrying the eastern states on its back, we are left behind when it comes to divvying up the GST. A larger share of the revenue would mean more money for the state government to put into our schools. Then we have the Commonwealth's share of the school resourcing standard. The government has, commendably, committed to fully funding public schools across Australia by 2034—by 2034! That's in 10 years time. The kids in year 3 today will have graduated before this promise is fulfilled. That's not good enough. Western Australians deserve better, WA families deserve better and WA children, especially those falling behind, deserve a fair go now, not in 10 years.