PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has corrected the Labor deception on school funding in the New England electorate after a question by Shadow Minister for Education Tanya Plibersek during Question Time in Federal Parliament.
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Deputy Prime Minister and New England MP Barnaby Joyce welcomed the response by Mr Turnbull, saying that figures Labor referred to were promised under the previous government but were never going to be funded, and the Coalition government had committed to a responsible “needs-based” funding model.
“The Shadow Minister for Education used unfunded figures provided by the Teachers Union that incorrectly stated that Peel High School in my electorate would ‘lose $1.68 million over the next two years’, when in fact it will increase by more than $8.5 million over the next 10 years,” Mr Joyce said.
“This is a common occurrence across the electorate, including the Upper Hunter Shire, with the total increase in federal government funding for schools in New England over the next 10 years set at $423 million.
“Schools, in every sector, in every local community in the electorate of New England will be receiving significant increases in funding because of our needs-based funding model.
“This is great news for the 122 primary and secondary schools in the electorate, and their 26,799 students.
“The federal government model is a needs based funding model that is endorsed by David Gonski.
“It is about fairness for all students regardless of what school they go to.
“Labor would have everyone in the New England electorate believe local schools will lose funding, when the evidence is clear that they will receive a significant increase, which is around 54.4 per cent over the next 10 years.
“That’s a massive increase, and far beyond what Labor continues to deceive people by saying there are cuts to the system.
“We are delivering real money and real outcomes to the school system that Labor couldn’t.
“Our reforms are based on evidence that shows that the funding will make a real difference to supporting our teachers and schools to improve student outcomes.
“This is a fair system that is good for students, good for parents and good for teachers.
“I invite everyone in the New England and across Australia to do exactly what the Prime Minister did in Parliament and look up the new schools funding estimator that has been set up to help parents, principals and school communities in the New England Electorate see exactly how they stand to benefit from the Turnbull/Joyce Government’s new $18.6 billion needs-based schools funding plan.”
The estimator is available by visiting www.education.gov.au/qualityschools
