Labor have followed up on yesterday’s lies about school funding, again spouting mistruths about the reality of schools funding arrangements across Australia.
“…things like the national curriculum, things like the national approach to teacher quality, things like the national approach to leadership accreditation, to a whole range of initiatives, would be put in dire jeopardy.” – Kate Ellis, Transcript – Press Conference, 31/3/16
FACT: The states and territories already run 100 per cent of government schools in Australia, including choosing which parts of the national curriculum they adopt, how they promote teacher quality and what initiatives they implement. Giving the states an income tax revenue stream would settle their capacity to fund their schools but in no way prohibit continued national cooperation on matters like teacher quality.
“…there would be consequences such as cost-shifting, which is when the states and territories people trying [sic] to move students from the government to non-government sectors.”– Kate Ellis, Transcript – Press Conference, 31/3/16
FACT: From 2009-2014, there was a 8.2 per cent increase in the number of children attending non-government schools but, over the same period of time, the Commonwealth’s contribution to government schools continued to climb, increasing from 11 per cent of the total share to 13 per cent.
“JOURNALIST: On the Gonski reforms, Simon Birmingham says that Labor has set up a multitude of different funding agreements and the Coalition wants to simplify it.”
KATE ELLIS: “Well, the Minister is clearly talking rubbish…”– Transcript – Press Conference, 31/3/16
FACT: Labor’s backroom deals with states and sectors resulted in 27 different funding arrangements and different transition arrangements across Australia.
“The Turnbull Government on the one hand, are saying “we shouldn't be funding schools because we don't employ teachers; we don't run any schools”. They don't employ any teachers or run any schools in non-government sector either, but they're still maintaining the importance of them having a funding arrangement there.” – Kate Ellis, Transcript – Press Conference, 31/3/16
FACT: The Commonwealth provides just 13 per cent of the average per student funding to government schools, up from nine per cent in 2003-04. Constitutionally, the Commonwealth is the minority funder of government schools but non-government schools receive 74 per cent of their public funding from the Commonwealth.
“…the cuts to school funding…”– Kate Ellis, Transcript – Press Conference, 31/3/16
FACT: The Turnbull Government is putting a record $69.4 billion into schools. There have been no cuts to school funding and current budgets forecast continued growth. Should states and territories be given an income tax revenue stream they would have increased revenue to support existing initiatives, engage more specialist teachers or direct resources as they judge most effective for lifting student outcomes.
Labor is running a scare campaign against an idea that will give the education system the accountability that families want and stop the political bickering and buck passing.
The Turnbull Government wants to deliver clarity, accountability and the incentive for our school systems to innovate and be their absolute best rather than being strangled by multiple levels of government bureaucracy.