Catholic schools funding ‘is unfinished business’, says Morrison

The government says Catholic school funding is ‘un­finished business’ as it works on a deal with school administrators.

Education Minister Dan Tehan. Picture: Gary Ramage

Scott Morrison has described Catholic school funding as ­“un­finished business”, as his government works to strike a deal with Catholic and independent school administrators.

Following the failure of Malcolm Turnbull and Simon Birmingham to secure an agreement with the school bodies in the final days of the Turnbull government, the Prime Minister has tasked Education Minister Dan Tehan to negotiate with the groups.

The Australian had previously revealed that Mr Turnbull and Senator Birmingham held crisis talks with the school groups ahead of the leadership spill, hoping they could reach an agreement to ­reinstate billions of dollars.

Catholic authorities, which have waged a campaign against the ­Coalition over funding shortfalls under the Gonski 2.0 schools reforms, have not yet reached an agreement with the government.

The Catholic school sector’s complaints that it had been short-changed under Senator Birmingham’s funding package announ­ced last year were vindicated in a review commissioned by the ­government into the socio-economic status model.

The review by businessman Michael Chaney found Catholic schools had been disadvantaged by $1.8 billion, and independent schools had been over-funded.

Mr Morrison — who brushed off leaks yesterday that suggested Mr Turnbull was “days off” securing a deal with Catholics and independents — said it remained “unresolved business at this point”.

“We have been working constructively with the sector, the independent schools sector, the Catholic schools sector, for this simple reason: I believe parents should have the opportunity to have greater choice in education,” Mr Morrison said.

“That’s always been a fundamental belief of the Liberal and National parties; we want to make sure the system … continues to respect that choice and ensures we have quality education, and education parents can choose from right across the country.

“So that’s unfinished business. And when we make decisions on those, when we reach a conclusion on those, I’ll announce it. Until then, the government’s policy ­remains as it is.”

Bill Shorten seized on the leaks against the government, suggesting the Prime Minister’s honeymoon period had been “shorter than a Las Vegas wedding”.

The Opposition Leader said the bigger issue was that Mr Morrison had voted to cut $17bn from schools.

“Scott Morrison voted to cut funding to Catholic schools. Scott Morrison has voted to cut funding to ­government schools,” Mr Shorten said.

“When Labor said that there had been a cut, Mr Morrison and others tried to shout us down and ­attack us, as is their style.

“The reality is there has been a $17bn cut to schools, but what Mr Morrison shouldn’t do is just look at Catholic schools and not worry about public education.”