The Australian Bureau of Statistics released its annual school census results last week. It showed a continuation of the long-term growth in market share for independent schools in 2023 at the expense of the state sector, and a small increase for the Catholic sector.

Within hours, national public sector unions were calling for more money to be spent by the Commonwealth on public schools, even though increased spending on public schools in recent years has produced declines in both the quality of outcomes for students and in public-school enrolments.