❓ Mr Aubrey asks about increased funding for WA public schools. The Minister outlines the 'Better and Fairer Schools Agreement' with the Commonwealth, detailing funding increases and associated reforms. The Minister then criticises the opposition's stance on the federal legislation required to enact the agreement, leading to a point of order.
AnsweredQoN 570Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION — FUNDING
570. Mr S.N. AUBREY to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to ensuring that all Western Australian students have access to
quality public education.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government in partnership with the
federal government is increasing funding for WA public schools?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what this investment will mean for students across
the state?
570. Mr S.N. AUBREY to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to ensuring that all Western Australian students have access to
quality public education.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government in partnership with the
federal government is increasing funding for WA public schools?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what this investment will mean for students across
the state?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Scarborough for his question and his interest in
education. It was great to join him up in his electorate for the education
forum. I note his passion for quality education for his constituents, and also
other members who were at the education forum—the members for
Mirrabooka, Jandakot and Geraldton, and probably one or two others. There was
also the member for Pilbara and others before that.
With regard to the member's
question, last week, I was out with the Prime Minister, the federal Minister
for Education, the Premier and the member for Mount Lawley at Mount Lawley
Senior High School to sign the historic Better and Fairer Schools Agreement,
which is an agreement to increase funding to our public schools in Western Australia. We are the first state and the
second jurisdiction in Australia to sign the agreement. The agreement
means that by the end of 2026, all schools in Western Australia will be 100 per
cent funded according to the schooling resource standard. That will involve an
increase in commonwealth funding for our public schools in Western Australia to
$785.4 million from 2025 to 2029, and an
increase of an equivalent amount by the WA government, which means that over
the next five years there will be an additional $1.6 billion invested in
public schooling in Western Australia. That is an outstanding achievement. I am
sure that even the most negative opposition education spokesperson in living
memory could not criticise that, but I am sure he will find a reason.
With regard to that agreement, it
does not come without demands or obligations. Much needed reforms are being
instigated as part of that agreement. They include a year 1 phonics and
numeracy check in the early years; targeted support, such as small-group
tutoring for students who need it the most; more support for schools for student
wellbeing for students with complex needs; a full service school model trial in
four schools and at least one in the regions; identifying more opportunities to
reduce workloads and better support teachers and school leaders through
professional learning; and support and pathways for people to transition to a teaching
career, with a focus on First Nations people, people with disability and those
from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This is an amazing
landmark agreement that we signed last week, but there is one more hurdle to
mount, and that is legislation that the federal government has to introduce
into federal Parliament. Hon Jason Clare has to introduce legislation to allow
the federal government to increase its funding from 20 per cent to 22.5 per
cent. As he mentioned in Parliament yesterday, Peter Dutton is opposing that
legislation. I ask the Leader of the Liberal Party of Western Australia and the
Leader of the Opposition whether they are going to demand of their federal colleagues
that they do not block —
Point of Order
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Minister, resume your seat. There is a point of order being asked for.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : Madam
Speaker, once again we are seeing ministers spending question time asking
questions of the opposition, rather than actually answering their own
questions.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
It has been a very lengthy question time. Attorney, I might just say that even
when you put your hand over your mouth—it is like a child in school—I
can still see you calling things out and I can hear you.
Minister,
question time is for backbenchers and opposition members to ask questions of
ministers. It is not to demand answers from opposition members. I assume
you are asking a relatively rhetorical question. If the member wanted to
answer, I would permit that, but it would appear that the members opposite do
not wish to answer your question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr A.D. BUTI : Yes. Thank you,
Madam Speaker.
All
I will say is that we on this side of the house will be looking very carefully
at the behaviour of the state Leader of the Opposition, the state Leader
of the Liberal Party and the member for Central Wheatbelt, who is now a federal
candidate. I assume she may be in Canberra today; I do not know. Is she in
Canberra today? I do not know, but if she
is, I wonder whether she is speaking to her federal leader and the federal
opposition leader, because it will be on their heads if the federal opposition blocks $1.6 billion of extra
investment in public education in Western Australia over the next five
years. I do not need to ask the question of the member for Roe. I will be
observing, and we will be looking, and if he does not go in to bat for public
school students in Western Australia, we will prosecute that case every day
until the election. I wonder how he will explain that to the students in
Katanning.
The SPEAKER : The member for
North West Central with the last question.
thank the member for Scarborough for his question and his interest in
education. It was great to join him up in his electorate for the education
forum. I note his passion for quality education for his constituents, and also
other members who were at the education forum—the members for
Mirrabooka, Jandakot and Geraldton, and probably one or two others. There was
also the member for Pilbara and others before that.
With regard to the member's
question, last week, I was out with the Prime Minister, the federal Minister
for Education, the Premier and the member for Mount Lawley at Mount Lawley
Senior High School to sign the historic Better and Fairer Schools Agreement,
which is an agreement to increase funding to our public schools in Western Australia. We are the first state and the
second jurisdiction in Australia to sign the agreement. The agreement
means that by the end of 2026, all schools in Western Australia will be 100 per
cent funded according to the schooling resource standard. That will involve an
increase in commonwealth funding for our public schools in Western Australia to
$785.4 million from 2025 to 2029, and an
increase of an equivalent amount by the WA government, which means that over
the next five years there will be an additional $1.6 billion invested in
public schooling in Western Australia. That is an outstanding achievement. I am
sure that even the most negative opposition education spokesperson in living
memory could not criticise that, but I am sure he will find a reason.
With regard to that agreement, it
does not come without demands or obligations. Much needed reforms are being
instigated as part of that agreement. They include a year 1 phonics and
numeracy check in the early years; targeted support, such as small-group
tutoring for students who need it the most; more support for schools for student
wellbeing for students with complex needs; a full service school model trial in
four schools and at least one in the regions; identifying more opportunities to
reduce workloads and better support teachers and school leaders through
professional learning; and support and pathways for people to transition to a teaching
career, with a focus on First Nations people, people with disability and those
from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This is an amazing
landmark agreement that we signed last week, but there is one more hurdle to
mount, and that is legislation that the federal government has to introduce
into federal Parliament. Hon Jason Clare has to introduce legislation to allow
the federal government to increase its funding from 20 per cent to 22.5 per
cent. As he mentioned in Parliament yesterday, Peter Dutton is opposing that
legislation. I ask the Leader of the Liberal Party of Western Australia and the
Leader of the Opposition whether they are going to demand of their federal colleagues
that they do not block —
Point of Order
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Minister, resume your seat. There is a point of order being asked for.
Mr P.J. RUNDLE : Madam
Speaker, once again we are seeing ministers spending question time asking
questions of the opposition, rather than actually answering their own
questions.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
It has been a very lengthy question time. Attorney, I might just say that even
when you put your hand over your mouth—it is like a child in school—I
can still see you calling things out and I can hear you.
Minister,
question time is for backbenchers and opposition members to ask questions of
ministers. It is not to demand answers from opposition members. I assume
you are asking a relatively rhetorical question. If the member wanted to
answer, I would permit that, but it would appear that the members opposite do
not wish to answer your question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr A.D. BUTI : Yes. Thank you,
Madam Speaker.
All
I will say is that we on this side of the house will be looking very carefully
at the behaviour of the state Leader of the Opposition, the state Leader
of the Liberal Party and the member for Central Wheatbelt, who is now a federal
candidate. I assume she may be in Canberra today; I do not know. Is she in
Canberra today? I do not know, but if she
is, I wonder whether she is speaking to her federal leader and the federal
opposition leader, because it will be on their heads if the federal opposition blocks $1.6 billion of extra
investment in public education in Western Australia over the next five
years. I do not need to ask the question of the member for Roe. I will be
observing, and we will be looking, and if he does not go in to bat for public
school students in Western Australia, we will prosecute that case every day
until the election. I wonder how he will explain that to the students in
Katanning.
The SPEAKER : The member for
North West Central with the last question.
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