States demand Jason Clare double $16bn lift to schools funding

Squabbling state education ministers on Friday rejected a $16bn boost to commonwealth funding for schools, demanding the ­Albanese government double its offer.

State education ministers have demanded the federal government double its $16bn offer to boost funding for public schools. Picture: iStock

Squabbling state education ministers on Friday rejected a $16bn boost to commonwealth funding for schools and demanded the ­Albanese government double its offer.

After a face-off with his state and territory counterparts meeting in Perth on Friday, federal Education Minister Jason Clare refused to increase the 10-year funding offer.

“I have put billions of dollars for public schools on the table, but I reiterate that there’s no blank cheques here,’’ he said after a heated meeting. “That money will be tied to the sorts of things that are going to help kids catch up, keep up and finish school (but) the states have to chip in too. There’s a lot at stake here – I’ve got to introduce legislation at the end of the year to increase funding for public schools.’’

Education Minister Jason Clare. Picture: James Dowling

In an act of political brinkmanship, education ministers from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia united to publicly reject the funding offer worth an extra $16bn over the next decade.

Mr Clare revealed he has offered an extra $4.1bn to NSW, $3.5bn to Victoria, $3bn to Queensland, $940m to South Australia, $1.8bn to Western Australia, $301m to Tasmania, $215m to the ACT and $2.1 million to the Northern Territory for the decade between 2025 and 2034.

The offer includes an extra $5.7bn to be paid over five years, starting in 2025, and with bonus funding totalling $16.1bn over a decade.

The offer breaks the historical cap on federal funding to state schools, which would increase from 20 per cent to 22.5 per cent of school running costs.

The federal government provides 80 per cent of the running costs of private and Catholic schools, which rely heavily on revenue from tuition fees.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car said the states wanted the federal government to increase its share of public school funding to 25 per cent, so all schools receive 100 per cent of the needs-based funding recommended by businessman David Gonski a decade ago.

“Everyone agrees that we need this,’’ she said. “The only one that doesn’t agree is the commonwealth minister.’’

Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll accused the federal government of “short changing public schools’’.

Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll. Picture: Josie Hayden

“What we are asking is very reasonable when you include all the GST and taxation levers the commonwealth has at their disposal,’’ he said.

“We’re being asked to provide more reporting and accountability in our state school systems with little extra funding, so we’re resolute that we need a full 5 per cent increase.’’

South Australian Education Minister Blair Boyer said teachers are “more under the pump than they’ve ever been’’, and extra federal funding would pay for the “time, resources and support they need’’.

Queensland Education Minister Di Farmer said her state had more disadvantaged schools in regional, remote and rural areas and Indigenous communities.

“There is no way I can explain to them that the commonwealth government doesn’t believe they should get this extra support,’’ she said.

“Education is the greatest ­opportunity we can offer to our students.

“If they do not receive a good opportunity then we are changing their chances in life.’’

Mr Clare yesterday urged the states to sign a 10-year funding deal now, because if the Liberal Party were to win next year’s election “they will rip up’’ his offer.

“The Albanese government is offering the biggest increase in federal funding to public schools that has ever been delivered,’’ he said.

“That’s the deal that WA and the NT have signed up to and if the NT can chip in additional money for public schools, I know other jurisdictions can too.’’