‘Overfunded’ schools will share more than $1.6b if federal funding package fails

HUNDREDS of “overfunded” schools will share more than $1.6 billion in taxpayer funds if the Turnbull Government’s school funding package fails to win support, new figures reveal.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham says it is “deeply embarrassing” that Labor wants to stick to the current school funding model. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

HUNDREDS of “overfunded” schools will share more than $1.6 billion in taxpayer funds over the next decade if the Turnbull Government fails to convince the Greens or crossbench senators to support its school funding package, new figures have revealed.

Labor has vowed to block the Gonski 2.0 funding model which will mean more that 347 schools including Melbourne Grammar and Wesley College will share an extra $1.6 billion over the next 10 years, the government has confirmed.

But Labor has called on the government to release the full list of schools it says are overfunded, claiming the Coalition is trying to hide “massive cuts to public schools”.

Passing the school funding package will be the Turnbull Government’s main focus in the final sitting week before the six-week winter break.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham has been negotiating with the Greens, who hold nine crucial votes and are open to supporting the plan, after Labor vowed to vote against it.

But the Sunday Herald Sun believes the government is close to locking in 10 of the 12 crossbench votes it needs to pass the funding package after negotiating minor tweaks with powerful crossbench senators Nick Xenophon and Pauline Hanson.

The Coalition says its package will distribute taxpayer funds on a needs basis and inject an extra $18.6 billion into schools over the next decade.

The Coalition’s plan will also put the brakes on federal money flowing to “overfunded” schools and slash funding at Australia’s 24 most elite schools.

Senator Birmingham said it was “deeply embarrassing” that Labor and the Australian Education Union wanted to stick to the current model, which would see taxpayer dollars injected into elite schools.

“We want funding to go where it’s needed most and where it will be of most benefit to bring all schools and students to a consistent and needs-based share of funding — no special deals for selected states or sectors,” Senator Birmingham said.

“To achieve fairness, tough decisions must be made and the Turnbull Government is making those choices so that every student is funded on the basis of need, not on the sector or state they live in.”

Labor is opposed to the package, arguing schools will be $22 billion worse off under the Turnbull Government than under its proposed funding boost promised at last year’s election.

“The Liberals won’t even release the full list of schools. What have they go to hide?” Labor education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said.

Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said “We hope that goodwill and common sense will prevail in the senate so that all schools will know with some certainty about their funding.”