PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION REPORT SHOWS WE NEED GONSKI

Media Release

28 Jan 2014

Today's Productivity Commission report is further evidence of the urgent need for the Abbott Government to implement the Gonski school funding model in full.

Gonski recommended a needs based funding model which would deliver the additional resources schools need to support each individual student's needs.

This report makes it clear that needs based funding would drive improvement across all our schools, including schools with Indigenous students, students with disability and students with English as a second language. Additional funding is also provided to regional and remote schools, and small schools under the model.

"Tony Abbott must commit to implement the new school funding model, as promised, to ensure money flows to students who need it most, regardless of which school they attend," Shadow Minister for Education, Kate Ellis, said.

The report, released today, shows 84.7 per cent of indigenous students and 76.6 per cent of students with a disability attended government schools in 2012.

"These loadings mean every student, regardless of their circumstance, will get the one-on-one support they require," Kate Ellis said.

The Coalition both pre and post-election promised to implement Labor's Gonski school funding model:

"We are committed to the student resource standard, of course we are. We are committed to this new school funding model."
CHRISTOPHER PYNE RADIO NATIONAL INTERVIEW 30 AUGUST 2013

"Over the next four years, we will maintain the new school funding model, and the budget that went with that."
CHRISTOPHER PYNE SKY NEWS INTERVIEW 17 NOVEMBER 2013

But late last year, the Government performed multiple backflips and broke their education promises and is now giving blank cheques to states and territories with no conditions on how the money should be distributed. Worse still, the Government has left the door open for states to slash their own school funding.

The Coalition has committed just $2.8 billion of the $14.6 billion the Labor Government had pledged, meaning true education reform will not be successful.

"I call on Tony Abbott to commit to the full six years of funding, which both experts and the evidence show is needed," Kate Ellis said.