Campbell Newman puts Libs ahead of kids: Julia Gillard

JULIA Gillard has hit back at Campbell Newman over his virtual rejection of Labor's Gonski education funding changes.

JULIA Gillard has hit back at Campbell Newman over his virtual rejection of Labor's Gonski education funding changes, accusing the Queensland Premier of putting Liberal political interests ahead of children.

As the debate over the Gillard government's six-year national education plan descends into political infighting, alarm is growing among the state and non-government school sectors that the changes will be forced through parliament without proper analysis.

Labor is expected to introduce the vast $14.5 billion-a-year changes through to 2019 into parliament as early as today before state governments and non-government schools have been able to review the draft legislation.

The parliamentary committee on education is expected to have only a day to consider the mountain of legislation and the government will not be able to provide schools with details of funding for at least two weeks, after the legislation is passed.

The Australian Parents Council, the national representative of parents of students at Catholic and independent schools, said a "dearth of information" meant they still didn't have a clear idea of resources for schools next year and beyond. The council was "very concerned" that such an "important reform is being rushed to meet a parliamentary deadline".

"It is disappointing that the proposed model now appears to have become a political football," council president Caz Bosch said yesterday.

Ms Gillard, Wayne Swan and School Education Minister Peter Garrett all attacked Mr Newman yesterday after he told the Prime Minister it was highly unlikely Queensland would meet her deadline of June 30 for agreement, which was "impossible" without substantial changes.

In a letter sent to Mr Newman last night, obtained by The Australian, Ms Gillard said Queensland was "one of the biggest winners from the National Plan for School Improvement".

"Parents, principals, teachers and the broader community will wonder why you persist in refusing this extra money for their schools. It will be extremely disappointing to Queenslanders if you do not put extra money for schools in tomorrow's budget," Ms Gillard wrote.

Responding to Mr Newman's claims of government "intransigence" and refusal to negotiate, Ms Gillard said the Premier had "not responded properly to the offer, and you have not authorised your officials to give accurate information about how you will fund schools next year and beyond".

"Perhaps it is because the Leader of the Opposition or members of his team are demanding you put their political interests ahead of the interests of Queensland children," she said.

"Whatever the reason for your refusal to agree to $3.8bn extra for Queensland schools, there can be no excuse for your government's wilful misrepresentation of the scale of investment that is available, and surely there will be no forgiveness for you turning your back on Queensland's kids."

The Prime Minister also pointedly said reform was essential and that "Queensland schools were outperformed by NSW in every NAPLAN measure across every year level in 2012".

Last night, Mr Newman told The Australian he stood by the concerns expressed in his letter and was "pleased the Prime Minister has acknowledged reform is essential after two decades of Labor mismanagement".

"I remind the Prime Minister, Anna Bligh was both premier and education minister, and is responsible for the results she quotes," he said.

In a highly critical letter to Ms Gillard on Friday, Mr Newman said officials in her department and in Treasury were "intransigent", failing to negotiate constructively, and were unable to set out base education funding for next year.

Mr Newman told Ms Gillard that because of funding uncertainty and the federal government's "lack of understanding", it was "increasingly unlikely that a mutually acceptable agreement can be reached by the June 30, 2013, deadline".

He also wrote that because of the intransigence of the government, "even if agreement could be reached on the starting point, the flow-on effects would require substantial revision of your funding offer".

Mr Newman's declaration is a blow to Ms Gillard's attempts to get most states and territories to agree to its NPSI and have it legislated before parliament rises at the end of the month for the election.

Yesterday, the federal Treasurer said it was "very, very disappointing that Campbell Newman wants to play a wrecking role when it comes to the school improvement program recommended by Mr Gonski".

"The Queensland education system is falling behind, There will be new money under these Gonski reforms to provide additional resources which are so badly needed in Queensland schools," Mr Swan said.

Queensland's angry reaction to the latest round of federal briefings came after the Victorian government described the negotiations last week as a farce and puerile.

Even the South Australian Labor government has warned independent schools there are concerns about when the funding will be delivered.