Gillard-Gallagher not levelling with the ACT
30 May 2013
Media release The 14th of April statement by the Prime Minister on Labor’s new funding model says the Australian Capital Territory will receive $100 million in additional funding.
Today the Prime Minister says the figure is $190 million, almost doubling the funding.
Yet according to the Budget the Australian Capital Territory will lose $38.5 million in Commonwealth funding over the next three years under the new school funding model.
“The Prime Minister and the ACT Chief Minister must explain how much on a year by year basis the ACT will receive in Australian Government support,” said the Shadow Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne today.
“Julia Gillard and Katy Gallagher are promising money on the never-never. Resources in five or six years from now don’t pay the bills next year or the next three years,” Mr Pyne said.
“This failure to level with the school principals and the education sector has been evident in Senate Estimates this week.
“The Government has refused to release a year by year breakdown of school payments making it impossible for the non-government sector to plan for the future.
“ACT non-government schools remain in the dark over the impact of the new funding model and how much money they will receive next year.
“This uncertainty is causing great concern in the non-government schools sector nationally as any cuts to funding will result in higher school fees for parents.
“The Coalition isn’t going to make promises into the never-never, we are going to focus on how we can lift student outcomes over the next three years, by ensuring we have a robust curriculum, quality teachers, more autonomous schools and greater parental engagement,” Mr Pyne said.
May 30, 2013
The Gillard Government’s original statement including the $100 million commitment to the ACT: http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/resourcing-all-our-kids-classrooms-and-teachers-future