Labor Government would stand by $4.6 billion deal for Catholic, independent education

A LABOR Government would not rip up the $4.6 billion funding deal given to the Catholic and independent education, acting leader Tanya Plibersek says.

A LABOR Government would not rip up the $4.6 billion funding deal given to the Catholic and independent education, acting leader Tanya Plibersek says.

Despite expressing concerns that a special deal had been done, Ms Plibersek said Labor would stand by the offer while calling for more cash for state schools.

“Labor has stood side-by-side with Catholic and independent schools demanding that the billions of dollars cut from their school systems be restored,” she said.

“But what kind of Government says, okay we’ll restore the cuts to Catholic and independent Schools but not to public schools which educate two thirds of Australian children.

“(Prime Minister Scott Morrison) has thrown a few billion dollars on the table for Catholic and independent schools because it’s a political problem inside the Liberal Party.”

The Morrison government announced the $4.6 billion funding deal last week after the Catholic sector had protested against its share of school funding since the Gonski 2.0 funding model was announced in May 2017.

It includes $3.2 billion over 10 years in extra funds that the new model says the schools should be getting, with $425 million of this to go to Queensland Catholic and independent schools.

There will also be a $1.2 billion “choice and affordability” fund intended for regional, remote and drought-affected non-government schools to keep their fees low.

Mr Morrison has said that it would provide extra support for non-government schools that were in need.