NSW demands feds dig deep to cover Gonski shortfall

NSW has demanded the federal government use its ‘deeper pockets’ to pay the entire $1.9bn annual shortfall in ‘Gonski funding’ for NSW public schools.

NSW Premier Chris Minns. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Justin Lloyd.

NSW has demanded the federal government use its “deeper pockets’’ to pay the entire $1.9bn annual shortfall in “Gonski funding’’ for NSW public schools.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the commonwealth must increase its contribution to state school funding from 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the cost. “The full Gonski amount from the commonwealth government needs to be supplied and the reason for that is they have deeper pockets,’’ he said.

Governments are squabbling over a $6bn annual shortfall in school spending, based on the needs-based funding formula they agreed to following an inquiry led by businessman David Gonski in 2011.

Western Australia broke ranks on Wednesday by accepting a federal government offer to increase its share of funding from 20 per cent to 22.5 per cent – $777.4m extra over four years.

The other states want the offer doubled, insisting the commonwealth pay 25 per cent of public school running costs.

Queensland Education Minister Di Farmer said Queensland “has the highest proportion of First Nations people than any other state or territory, and in more rural and remote locations’’.

The NSW Teachers Federation called on Anthony Albanese to “step up’’.