❓ Question regarding the WA Education Minister's explanation of the transition to a new school funding model, specifically questioning the nature of the 'transition' and potential funding cuts. The Minister defends the changes as a move towards a more equitable and sustainable funding model.
AnsweredQoN 559Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOL
FUNDING MODEL
559. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for Education:
I ask this question on behalf of the Hon Sue Ellery, who is
away on urgent parliamentary business.
I refer to the minister's letter of 28 August 2013 to
all school parents and citizens associations, in which he advises that ''2014
is the year we transition to a new funding model'', and then states in
the same letter that the new model will come into effect in 2015.
(1) How is it a transition?
(2) Is it not just a series of cuts in 2014, and a new model
in 2015?
FUNDING MODEL
559. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for Education:
I ask this question on behalf of the Hon Sue Ellery, who is
away on urgent parliamentary business.
I refer to the minister's letter of 28 August 2013 to
all school parents and citizens associations, in which he advises that ''2014
is the year we transition to a new funding model'', and then states in
the same letter that the new model will come into effect in 2015.
(1) How is it a transition?
(2) Is it not just a series of cuts in 2014, and a new model
in 2015?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank Hon Kate Doust for that question.
What was it?
Hon Kate Doust : Actually, I just read it; it is a
question without notice!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Sorry, I was not listening. Can I
get a copy of that? Sorry.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Come on! Get on with it!
Hon PETER COLLIER : No, I spent my whole time looking
for the question and then—okay, let me look.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You should be sacked!
Hon Kate Doust : It might save a lot of time!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Yes, that is correct.
The PRESIDENT : Minister, let us hear your answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I have answered this question so
many times; I will answer it again. For the benefit of members, it reads that
2014 will be the year we transition to a new funding model. Then the same
letter says that the new funding model will come into effect in 2015. That is a
transition. I will just emphasise that: it is a transition! The whole point is
that we could quite easily have just left it next year and introduced the model
overnight. It was not going to work. We had to move to a system whereby we had
a more equitable distribution of the funding.
Hon Kate Doust interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Look —
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Let the minister provide his
answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I reckon this is the fifth time
today: we have not cut education funding!
Hon Kate Doust : W e're going to keep asking
because we know you have cut education!
Hon PETER COLLIER : I want to emphasise that we have
increased education funding by $300 million.
Hon Kate Doust : The schools know you've cut
it! The parents know you've cut it! The students know you've
cut it!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Is it not interesting that members
opposite ask questions and then they yell and scream so I cannot give a
response. I could quite easily sit down.
Hon Kate Doust : You're not giving the right
response and you know it!
The PRESIDENT : Order! Let the minister provide the
answer. You may not agree with it, you may not even like it, but you have asked
the question so I assume you want him to answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Can I say, once again, that we have
increased funding at a phenomenal rate. Schools in Western Australia are
extraordinarily well resourced. As we have increased funding by 55 per cent
since we have been in government, there has been a corresponding increase of
around eight per cent in student numbers. That level of funding is
unsustainable and I have made that quite clear. We do have to tighten our belts
and I said that in the chamber last week. We are moving to a system now where,
yes, schools do have to consider what programs they deliver. There will be an
increase in staff in some schools; there will be a decrease in staff in other
schools. But we have to move to a much more sustainable funding model and then
we will be much better prepared to move into the student-centred model in 2015.
That is why it is a transitional year; that is why we are transitioning.
As I said earlier, we are
transitioning because we are actually moving to a more equitable —
Hon Kate Doust : You don't actually have the
model ready!
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Hon Kate Doust : You don't actually have the
model ready, do you?
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Several members interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Look, I do not know how many times
I have to say it, but as I have just said, we are moving to a situation where
each individual child is considered—that is from the recommendations of
the Teese report. That is not something that I dreamed up; it was not something
that the Department of Education dreamed up. This came from the recommendations
of an eminent educationalist in Professor Teese from the University of
Melbourne; not even in Western Australia. As I said, we are moving to a
situation of targeting our funding much more appropriately. We are
transitioning to that model and that is eminently sensible, as I said.
Schools, when provided with their funding, will consider the
programs they will deliver. They will not be delivering some programs that they
are delivering this year, but as I said, ultimately, we will move to a more
sustainable funding model and a better targeted model.
What was it?
Hon Kate Doust : Actually, I just read it; it is a
question without notice!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Sorry, I was not listening. Can I
get a copy of that? Sorry.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Come on! Get on with it!
Hon PETER COLLIER : No, I spent my whole time looking
for the question and then—okay, let me look.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You should be sacked!
Hon Kate Doust : It might save a lot of time!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Yes, that is correct.
The PRESIDENT : Minister, let us hear your answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I have answered this question so
many times; I will answer it again. For the benefit of members, it reads that
2014 will be the year we transition to a new funding model. Then the same
letter says that the new funding model will come into effect in 2015. That is a
transition. I will just emphasise that: it is a transition! The whole point is
that we could quite easily have just left it next year and introduced the model
overnight. It was not going to work. We had to move to a system whereby we had
a more equitable distribution of the funding.
Hon Kate Doust interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Look —
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Let the minister provide his
answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I reckon this is the fifth time
today: we have not cut education funding!
Hon Kate Doust : W e're going to keep asking
because we know you have cut education!
Hon PETER COLLIER : I want to emphasise that we have
increased education funding by $300 million.
Hon Kate Doust : The schools know you've cut
it! The parents know you've cut it! The students know you've
cut it!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Is it not interesting that members
opposite ask questions and then they yell and scream so I cannot give a
response. I could quite easily sit down.
Hon Kate Doust : You're not giving the right
response and you know it!
The PRESIDENT : Order! Let the minister provide the
answer. You may not agree with it, you may not even like it, but you have asked
the question so I assume you want him to answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Can I say, once again, that we have
increased funding at a phenomenal rate. Schools in Western Australia are
extraordinarily well resourced. As we have increased funding by 55 per cent
since we have been in government, there has been a corresponding increase of
around eight per cent in student numbers. That level of funding is
unsustainable and I have made that quite clear. We do have to tighten our belts
and I said that in the chamber last week. We are moving to a system now where,
yes, schools do have to consider what programs they deliver. There will be an
increase in staff in some schools; there will be a decrease in staff in other
schools. But we have to move to a much more sustainable funding model and then
we will be much better prepared to move into the student-centred model in 2015.
That is why it is a transitional year; that is why we are transitioning.
As I said earlier, we are
transitioning because we are actually moving to a more equitable —
Hon Kate Doust : You don't actually have the
model ready!
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Hon Kate Doust : You don't actually have the
model ready, do you?
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Several members interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Look, I do not know how many times
I have to say it, but as I have just said, we are moving to a situation where
each individual child is considered—that is from the recommendations of
the Teese report. That is not something that I dreamed up; it was not something
that the Department of Education dreamed up. This came from the recommendations
of an eminent educationalist in Professor Teese from the University of
Melbourne; not even in Western Australia. As I said, we are moving to a
situation of targeting our funding much more appropriately. We are
transitioning to that model and that is eminently sensible, as I said.
Schools, when provided with their funding, will consider the
programs they will deliver. They will not be delivering some programs that they
are delivering this year, but as I said, ultimately, we will move to a more
sustainable funding model and a better targeted model.
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