Simon Birmingham stares down Liberals division over Gonski

Former Lib minister Kevin Andrews is demanding Simon Birmingham explain funding modelling kept from MPs.

Tony Abbott and Kevin Andrews in Question Time. Picture: Kym Smith

The Turnbull Government’s schools funding bill is now in serious jeopardy with Liberal MPs in the lower house threatening not to support the bill on current modelling that suggests the Catholic school sector will be disadvantaged.

Even if a deal can be struck to get the bill passed in the Senate, which is also regarded as in peril with at least one Liberal Senator also threatening to not support it, it could be scuttled if and when it comes back to the House of Representatives.

Liberal MP and former Minister Kevin Andrews is demanding an explanation from Education Minister Simon Birmingham on funding modelling that had been kept from MPs.

“I’m concerned about what the report says about what the modelling shows … that is different from what we are told …. and it backs the claims the Catholic sector is making,” he told The Australian.

“I want to see a satisfactory answer.”

Mr Andrews warned he would not sign off in the lower house on any deal the government does with the Greens on school funding.

“I think it would trigger difficulties because it’s contrary, if the report is true about the impact on the various systems, well then that’s contrary to what was agreed to in the House and certainly much worse than what I expected,’’ Mr Andrews said.

Cabinet is expected to approve the package when it is debated later today. However, the Government faces a revolt in the party room meeting tomorrow unless elements affecting the funding of Catholic schools are not addressed.

Birmingham stares down Libs divisions

Education Minister Simon Birmingham is staring down division within the Liberal Party over the government’s Gonski 2.0 schools funding overhaul as at least one of his colleagues threatens to cross the floor unless the Catholic sector gets a fairer deal.

Senator Birmingham said there were “some technical issues” he was discussing with WA Liberal senator Chris Back, who has told The Australian he could not support the reforms without changes to help Catholic schools.

Senator Back, who will retire from politics this week and is a former member of WA’s Catholic Education Commission, is calling for the introduction of the legislation to be delayed by a year and a review into different funding models.

But Senator Birmingham was confident his colleague would work with the government to legislate the $18.6 billion package.

“I’m sure in the end he will support what is a very significant addition of investment in Catholic education across the country that will see funding grow from $6.3 billion this year in 2017 to the eight different Catholic education authorities, growing up to $9.7bn by 2027 to those eight different Catholic education authorities,” Senator Birmingham told ABC radio.

“I appreciate that there are people who have had special deals that were in place in the past and they want to keep those specials deals for the future that give them a financial advantage over others.

“That’s not what the Turnbull government wants to see happen though because what we’re wanting to see occur is an arrangement that provides fair, consistent treatment across all non-government schools regardless of sector, background, faith or otherwise. We don’t want to see special deals there.”

The Turnbull government is on the verge of locking in enough Senate crossbench votes with the support of One ­Nation to drive the reforms through parliament this week, resisting a ­bitter backlash from Catholic schools.

But the package could yet be scuttled by rebel Coalition MPs.

Senator Back said he was continuing discussions with Senator Birmingham but was “not yet convinced” by the legislation.

“My legacy very strongly is to support Catholic schools and unfortunately until I’m convinced that the proposals in place will not disadvantage Catholic schools and independent schools for that matter then I’ve indicated to the Minister that ‘obviously please don’t make me vote against the government in my last week in the Senate’,” Senator Back told ABC radio.

“I’m very, very confident that we will reach a landing which will be not only accessible for everybody but acceptable to everybody.”

The Australian has spoken to several Liberal backbenchers who were furious at the release of new departmental modelling that shows Catholic schools would be $4.6 billion worse off while public schools would receive an extra $4bn over ten years if Gonski 2.0 was legislated compared to current legislation. Senator Birmingham refused to back those numbers, saying it took into account “mythical money” from Labor.

Liberal MPs have also blasted the idea of dealing with the Greens.

“To do a deal with the Greens seems madness to me, that we’re hellbent on driving our own base away in return for votes from the Greens in which we’ll never be ­rewarded at the ballot box,” former Liberal minister Kevin Andrews said.

The government is eyeing two possible pathways to legislate its reforms: gaining the support of the Greens and at least one other independent, or winning over 10 of the 12 Senate crossbenchers.

If Senator Back crossed the floor and voted against the government on the reforms, Senator Birmingham would need 11 votes from the crossbench.

Senator Birmingham said Liberal supporters and voters, as well as all Australians, expected the government to “get on with the business of governing”.

“That means working with whomever we face in the parliament to be able to get good policy through, policy that in this case deals with all of the distortions and inequities in schools funding and puts people on a common and level playing field.

Labor and the Australian Education Union are staunchly opposed to the government’s changes.