State puts schools ‘in jeopardy’ as it refuses to agree to federal deal

Victoria is the only state still refusing to sign a new national school funding deal with the Morrison Government, after Queensland agreed to it on Thursday night, and the Andrews Government says it “won’t be bullied into signing a dud multi-year deal”.

Victoria is the only state still refusing to sign a new national school funding deal with the Morrison Government, after Queensland agreed to it on Thursday night.

And in a warning that the standoff with Victoria was far from over, the Andrews Government on Thursday night declared it “won’t be bullied into signing a dud multi-year deal”.

The crux of the funding fight is over the percentage share state and federal governments contribute to schools through what is called the Schooling Resource Standard.

GOVERNMENT CLAIMS DEAL SHORT-CHANGES SCHOOLS

LABOR’S $14B SCHOOL FUNDING ELECTION PROMISE

PARENTS’ INCOME TO BE COLLECTED IN FUNDING OVERHAUL

The latest breakdown in talks comes ahead of a meeting of all state and federal education ministers on Thursday.

Victoria, under Premier Daniel Andrews, is the only state still refusing to sign a new national school funding deal. Picture: AAP

As that gathering happens, the Victorian ALP will begin to roll out advertisements in Liberal-held seats slamming the Morrison Government’s education spending.

The ALP will bombard ­middle-class suburbs with ads modelled on state election campaigns that targeted Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Merlino said because Victoria was opposed to the five-year deal on the table, it wanted a one-year transition deal given the proximity of the federal election, due by May.

“Scott Morrison has already recklessly rejected this proposal. This proves he is willing to hold kids to ransom to force through his unfair education deal,” he said.

But federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said Victoria was “asking for a special deal that puts in jeopardy everything we have negotiated in good faith with every other state and territory”.

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan. Picture: AAP

“Rather than continuing to leak to the media, my hope is that Daniel Andrews will come to his senses and reach an agreement that provides schools in his state with record funding and guarantees important reforms to lift results,” he said.

Relations between the Victorian and federal governments have broken down, and are set to be strained further as the federal election looms.

If an agreement over funding is not reached by the end of this month, it could jeopardise hundreds of millions of dollars due to flow to government and non-government schools early in the new year.

Mr Merlino said money could continue to come through regardless of whether a new agreement was in place by December 31.

[e-mail]