The class clown: Greens at war over Gonski school funding
EDUCATION reformer David Gonski has met privately with a high-profile Greens senator to win support for the $19 billion school funding package, amid a dispute in the party over the reforms.
NSW
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EDUCATION reformer David Gonski has met privately with high-profile Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young to win her support for the government’s $19 billion school funding package, amid a dispute in her party over the reforms.
Ms Hanson-Young has now organised for Mr Gonski to brief the Greens party room meeting today to try convince her recalcitrant colleagues — including Greens leader Richard Di Natale — to throw their support behind the needs-based funding model.
Greens sources are understood to have described Dr Di Natale as “cowardly” for refusing to back a package that’s aligned with the party philosophically.
The Daily Telegraph understands the Turnbull government is poised to strike a deal with the Greens that could see it bring forward completion of its Gonski 2.0 funding deal by at least a full year, and possibly even two. This means schools would all receive additional funds within eight years, rather than a decade.
Cabinet ministers are also discussing whether to inject even more money into the package, which currently provides $18.6 billion over the next decade.
This amounts to an extra $1733 on average for each student at a government school, modelling shows.
Mr Gonski, who redesigned the reforms he first created under Labor, met with Ms Hanson-Young in Sydney in mid-May at her request.
She reached out to him for his perspective on how the updated reforms had changed from his original education funding package.
Mr Gonski explained the finer details and pitched to her why the Greens should support the package. However, Ms Hanson-Young, while broadly supportive, wants money to go into the needier schools sooner.
She said yesterday that it was “incorrect” to describe Dr Di Natale as “cowardly”.
“Richard has been as consultative and principled in this debate as every other member of our team,” she said. “The Greens’ position, ultimately, will be a decision of the party room.”
Government sources involved in the negotiations have been impressed that Ms Hanson-Young is thoroughly across the detail of the reforms. The Greens party room will consider a senate inquiry report into the plans when it is tabled today.
Senator Di Natale declined an interview with The Daily Telegraph, citing a busy diary schedule.
“Like all decisions of this nature, our position on schools funding will be made by every member of the Australian Greens party room,” his spokeswoman said.
“All of our MPs have been consulting widely with stakeholders in recent weeks. They are also waiting to see what the final report from the Senate inquiry into the bill says when handed down tomorrow, before reaching a final position.”
The Turnbull government’s Budget announcement had factored in a 10-year roll out of the funding, starting from next year.
Originally published as The class clown: Greens at war over Gonski school funding
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