Bill Shorten and Kristina Keneally must start telling the truth about schools funding and put an end to their lies.
John Alexander and the Turnbull Government have a clear plan to boost investment in schools in a fair way and ensure those extra resources are focused on activities proven to boost student outcomes.
Across NSW federal funding will, on average, grow by 5.8 per cent per government school student and 4.3 per cent per non-government school student each year over the next four years.
In Bennelong alone, public and Independent school students across the area are set for growth over the decade of an extra $2,125 each on average, and schools stand to gain $19.7 million.
Funding for Catholic Schools NSW under our plan grows from $2 billion in 2018 to $2.87 billion in 2027 and the Catholic system will determine how they distribute funding amongst their schools in Bennelong. That’s funding growth of $871 million for NSW Catholic schools. Funding for Catholic school students in NSW grows from $9,145 to $12,746. That’s $3,601 extra per student, which ensures Catholic schools continue to receive the highest levels of per student federal funding for any school sector.
Labor’s Kristina Keneally a few months ago said she “wouldn’t lose a moment of sleep” over Catholic school funding yet is now happy to use Catholic schools as a backdrop for her personal political campaign.
The Opposition Leader’s refusal to detail Labor’s schools funding policy to date leaves voters in the dark.
It is the political equivalent of “she’ll be right mate”.
When Bill Shorten visits Bennelong today, he owes it to voters to explain:
- Exactly how Labor will carve up the claimed extra $17 billion they say they will spend on schools and where the money is coming from
- How much of that funding each state and territory and sector will receive, let alone what each school will receive
- Which of the Bennelong “elite private schools” Tanya Plibersek keeps attacking will see funding cuts
- Whether he will reinstate the 27 special deals Labor stitched up that, in the words of oneof the Gonski Review panellists Dr Ken Boston, “corrupted” needs-based funding
It’s time for Bill Shorten to add some substance to his platitudes.
The families and students of Bennelong also haven’t forgotten that when Kristina Keneally was Premier she slashed $318 million from school budgets.
Unlike Labor, every parent, teacher and school leader in Bennelong can see exactly how they stand to benefit from the Turnbull Government’s schools funding plan by visiting our Schools Funding Estimator at www.education.gov.au/qualityschools