Greens must oppose Turnbull's funding model

No political party that supports equity or fair funding of schools should support Malcolm Turnbull’s new schools funding model, the AEU said today.

AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said the Greens must stand firm and resist a funding proposal that fails to provide disadvantaged students with the support they need at school.

“The proposed funding model is not needs-based funding and will cost schools and students resources. It is no substitute for honouring the full six years of the Gonski agreements signed with the States,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“We have already seen state governments come out with confirmation of the damage that ending the Gonski agreements will do to their school systems.

“South Australian schools alone will lose $265 million of the $335 million they would have received under the last two years of Gonski in 2018 and 2019.

“In Victoria schools will lose $630 million in two years, in WA $93 million, and Queensland’s schools will lose $300 million over ten years.

“This is real money which could be used to provide more support to students – through smaller classes, extra literacy and numeracy programs and more in-class support.

“Under Malcolm Turnbull’s plan less than half of extra federal funding will go to public schools, compared to 80 per cent under Gonski, despite the higher levels of need in public schools.

“There is no guarantee that public schools will reach the minimum resourcing standard that the Gonski Review recommended.

“If the Greens genuinely believe schools funding should be distributed on the basis of need and equity they should not consider supporting Turnbull's plan.

“The Greens have been strong supporters of the Gonski agreements since their inception and this needs to continue because schools and students across Australia are relying on their support to ensure they get the funding they need.”

Media Contact: Ben Ruse 0437 971 291