❓ Opposition leader McGowan questions Premier Barnett about budget cuts to individual schools following a large protest. Barnett defends the government's education funding model, citing increased overall budget and enrollment, while acknowledging challenges in the transition to student-based funding.
AnsweredQoN 181Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION — BUDGET
181. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
Before I ask my question I would like to acknowledge the
member for Victoria Park on a very significant birthday today.
Given that we have just seen the biggest protest ever by
Western Australians against the government, with Western Australians rallying
against the government's brutal cuts to individual schools, will the
Premier now hear their voices and reverse these cuts to individual school
budgets?
OF EDUCATION — BUDGET
181. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
Before I ask my question I would like to acknowledge the
member for Victoria Park on a very significant birthday today.
Given that we have just seen the biggest protest ever by
Western Australians against the government, with Western Australians rallying
against the government's brutal cuts to individual schools, will the
Premier now hear their voices and reverse these cuts to individual school
budgets?
AnswerView source ↗
That was a long way short of the biggest rally ever.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Just for the information of members, it was estimated that 103 schools were
closed today; another 700 remained open. Some 8 600 teachers pre-registered
their absence with the Department of Education, and fewer than 5 000 actually
attended the rally. I do not know what the others were doing; having a day off.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
They took the day off school, but they did not go to the rally.
Mr M. McGowan : How
would you know? You were hiding in your office.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, I was not.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : A
bit sensitive.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! I do not want to hear this wall of sound.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
So who was there? There was United Voice, the State School Teachers'
Union of WA, the Maritime Union of Australia, the Greens and the ALP. I even
saw Joe McDonald crossing the road—well known for his ethical standards
and education interests. That is who was there.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Warnbro.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first and second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We will have a matter of public interest debate on this matter, and the
opportunity to talk about school funding and the like. Schools in Western Australia
face challenges going into next year; some big changes are taking place. Year 7
will move into high school, the national curriculum will be progressively
phased in, and we will shift to a student-based funding model along the lines
of Gonski—the process that the opposition is so fond of. That is what
is happening in our schools. For 2014, the number of teachers was basically
kept at a constant level. There have been some savings across the system,
despite the fact that the overall budget went up by $300 million. I concede
that that growth of $300 million, large as it is, has not fully kept up with
the rapid growth of enrolments in our government school system. For the first
time in years, parents are sending their boys and girls back to the government
system. After years of decline, particularly under Labor, the government school
system is now fighting back. That is the truth. In spite of the fact that
overall teacher numbers were kept basically constant for 2014, there is
inevitable turnover, and members should be interested that —
Mr P.B. Watson :
You're living in your own little world, Premier.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, you are going to be a Gonski if you do not stop shouting
out! I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite really are not interested, and that shows.
They should be proud, as we are, of the advances made in the public school
system in this state. Historic changes have been made, and there have been
historic increases in funding over the term of this government.
Despite the essential, I guess,
freeze on teacher numbers, there were 830 new graduates employed in the
government school system this year. There are great opportunities for young
people, and we will see teacher numbers rise going into next year. I understand
that when we allocate on a student-funded model rather than simply a
school-based system, some schools will find it tough; I do not deny that, and
the adjustment will be difficult. The adjustment is difficult, but we are doing
it; the opposition would never have done it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
conclude: this is about the funding of our education system. Members will make
various points on that during the MPI, but I want to make one comparison. I
have data produced by the Australian Productivity Commission, released in 2014.
This is the APC's measure of funding of government education. Let us
look at Bill Shorten's state—Victoria. There is $13 801 —
An opposition member: It's a Liberal government!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : He should go back to Victoria!
The SPEAKER : I do not want to hear any more shouting out; we are having a debate
on these matters.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The data, rounded to hundred dollars, shows
that the state of Victoria spent $13 800 per student and Queensland $15 500 per
student, which was much the same as New South Wales with $15 700. Tasmania
spent $15 900, and South Australia spent $16 300, which was the highest of all
other states. Western Australia spent $18 800 per student. That is the
difference among the states, according to figures from the Australian
Productivity Commission. As the minister, Hon Peter Collier, has said, Western
Australia has the highest paid teachers and the best resourced schools in
Australia, and we are delivering in both recurrent and capital spending.
Members opposite should go to schools in their electorates and show some pride
in government education in this state!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Just for the information of members, it was estimated that 103 schools were
closed today; another 700 remained open. Some 8 600 teachers pre-registered
their absence with the Department of Education, and fewer than 5 000 actually
attended the rally. I do not know what the others were doing; having a day off.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
They took the day off school, but they did not go to the rally.
Mr M. McGowan : How
would you know? You were hiding in your office.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, I was not.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : A
bit sensitive.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! I do not want to hear this wall of sound.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
So who was there? There was United Voice, the State School Teachers'
Union of WA, the Maritime Union of Australia, the Greens and the ALP. I even
saw Joe McDonald crossing the road—well known for his ethical standards
and education interests. That is who was there.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Warnbro.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first and second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We will have a matter of public interest debate on this matter, and the
opportunity to talk about school funding and the like. Schools in Western Australia
face challenges going into next year; some big changes are taking place. Year 7
will move into high school, the national curriculum will be progressively
phased in, and we will shift to a student-based funding model along the lines
of Gonski—the process that the opposition is so fond of. That is what
is happening in our schools. For 2014, the number of teachers was basically
kept at a constant level. There have been some savings across the system,
despite the fact that the overall budget went up by $300 million. I concede
that that growth of $300 million, large as it is, has not fully kept up with
the rapid growth of enrolments in our government school system. For the first
time in years, parents are sending their boys and girls back to the government
system. After years of decline, particularly under Labor, the government school
system is now fighting back. That is the truth. In spite of the fact that
overall teacher numbers were kept basically constant for 2014, there is
inevitable turnover, and members should be interested that —
Mr P.B. Watson :
You're living in your own little world, Premier.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, you are going to be a Gonski if you do not stop shouting
out! I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite really are not interested, and that shows.
They should be proud, as we are, of the advances made in the public school
system in this state. Historic changes have been made, and there have been
historic increases in funding over the term of this government.
Despite the essential, I guess,
freeze on teacher numbers, there were 830 new graduates employed in the
government school system this year. There are great opportunities for young
people, and we will see teacher numbers rise going into next year. I understand
that when we allocate on a student-funded model rather than simply a
school-based system, some schools will find it tough; I do not deny that, and
the adjustment will be difficult. The adjustment is difficult, but we are doing
it; the opposition would never have done it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
conclude: this is about the funding of our education system. Members will make
various points on that during the MPI, but I want to make one comparison. I
have data produced by the Australian Productivity Commission, released in 2014.
This is the APC's measure of funding of government education. Let us
look at Bill Shorten's state—Victoria. There is $13 801 —
An opposition member: It's a Liberal government!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : He should go back to Victoria!
The SPEAKER : I do not want to hear any more shouting out; we are having a debate
on these matters.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The data, rounded to hundred dollars, shows
that the state of Victoria spent $13 800 per student and Queensland $15 500 per
student, which was much the same as New South Wales with $15 700. Tasmania
spent $15 900, and South Australia spent $16 300, which was the highest of all
other states. Western Australia spent $18 800 per student. That is the
difference among the states, according to figures from the Australian
Productivity Commission. As the minister, Hon Peter Collier, has said, Western
Australia has the highest paid teachers and the best resourced schools in
Australia, and we are delivering in both recurrent and capital spending.
Members opposite should go to schools in their electorates and show some pride
in government education in this state!
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