PM, Premiers at Odds on Schools Funding

by Adam Bennett, 21st Century News: http://www.21stcenturynews.com.au/pm-premiers-odds-schools-funding/?inf_contact_key=fe6fb89829457e639dae69201deacaaffc329d0fa54491aac1674ef04aa72ef9

Julia Gillard election fund (Leonard John Matthews)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she’ll keep fighting to convince the states to “put the kids first” and back her $14.5 billion national schools funding plan, ahead of a crucial face-to-face meeting this week.

Ms Gillard will meet with state and territory leaders in Canberra on Friday to thrash out a formal agreement on reforms due to start next year - with some premiers proving less open-minded than others.

Queensland and Western Australia pose the biggest obstacle to a national agreement by June 30, with WA Liberal Premier Colin Barnett accusing Ms Gillard of shortchanging WA schoolchildren.

But NSW Liberal Premier Barry O’Farrell premier has backed the “broad thrust” of the changes, which would give Australia’s most populous state $5 billion of the $14.5 billion over six years.

Mr O’Farrell has signalled he’s willing to find the $1.7 billion needed to meet NSW’s commitment to get the federal money, although it would mean budget cuts. “State finances are tight,” he told reporters on Monday.

Under the two-for-one-dollar funding plan, the cash-strapped states must stump up 35 per cent of the total and commit to raising their education spending by three per cent a year.

Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek, whose state is in line for $3.8 billion in extra money, says the federal government is trying to “demonise” states that don’t sign up.

But the fiercest critic is Mr Barnett, who’s branded Ms Gillard’s proposal “nuts” and a “massive backward step” for state schools. WA would gain a “pitiful” $300 million extra, because its current funding is much closer to the proposed base funding standard for each primary and secondary student.

“Parents should simply feel cheated,” he said. “We’re not going to sign up to allow the federal government to basically control education funding, school management and education policy in this state.”

Victorian Liberal Premier Denis Napthine said while his government agreed in principle to the schools funding plan, which gave Victoria $4 billion, it wasn’t ready to commit. 

And South Australian Labor Premier Jay Weatherill was coy on whether his state would sign up to the plan, which would give it an extra $600 million. “Whether we can reach agreement is going to be a practical matter about what we’re offered and what we’ll get in return for it,” he said.

Ms Gillard said she would “keep fighting” for the states’ support right up to the June 30 deadline. “I have to convince them to put the kids in their states first,” she told Australian Radio Network.

With just five sitting weeks left before the September national election, Ms Gillard faces a tight timeframe to get the schools package through parliament.

Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne says if Ms Gillard gets the states to agree, the coalition won’t tinker with the funding if its wins government.

Labor’s plan aims to help Australia reach its goal of ranking in the world’s top five for reading, mathematics and science by 2025.