Talks on school funding 'incredibly frustrating'

THE Better Schools Plan funding war continued after Bill Shorten said his Queensland counterpart was “out of step with prevailing majority opinion”.

Bill Shorten. Picture: Rob Williams

THE Better Schools Plan funding war continued on Thursday after Federal Education Minister Bill Shorten said his Queensland counterpart was "out of step with prevailing majority opinion" after "incredibly frustrating" talks.

Mr Shorten, in Brisbane on Thursday, said negotiations on Wednesday were "perfectly cordial" but the LNP would not budge on the funding offer to aid more than 700,000 students at 1700 government schools.

"We can work together here but, unfortunately, the Queensland Government is suspicious and reluctant to change their priorities to suit the school children of Queensland," he said.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek hit back, saying there were only three things on which his government would not negotiate.

He said he told the Federal Government those items 21 days ago - that he did not want a federal takeover of "our schools", did not want more bureaucracy and did not want funding cuts to kindergartens and universities.

"So, it's a bit rich for Bill Shortern to come out today and say we're not prepared to negotiate," he said.

"(He) said yesterday (Wednesday) it was not an issue in other states but it is an issue for Queensland and we don't apologise ... for standing up for the best deal for Queensland."

Mr Langbroek said the Federal Government was not compromising but when asked what Queensland was compromising on, he could only list the timing and "many other issues".

The pair met on Wednesday to negotiate the education funding deal which would result in $2.476 extra funding.

The deal requires the Queensland Government to sign up to a 65/35 commitment which means providing about $1.349 billion.

Federal shadow education minister Christopher Pyne said politics had nothing to do with Queensland's refusal to sign up.

"I think the opposition is trying to show that the government is telling lies about this so-called Gonski model and people are being sucked into it," he said.

NSW, Tasmania, the ACT and South Australia have signed up to Labor's plan.