Gonski billions to flow as New South Wales signs up

Updated

Sorry, this video has expired Video: NSW first to sign up to education reforms (7pm TV News ACT)

New South Wales has become the first state to agree to the Federal Government's multi-billion-dollar Gonski school funding plan, prompting the Prime Minister to call on other states and territory leaders to sign up.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced the "historic" deal at a joint press conference with NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell.

Where the states stand on Gonski: ONSIDE



NSW (Liberal): Has signed on to the plan.

ACT (Labor): Support the plan but yet to sign on.



UNSURE



Queensland (Liberal National): Wants to reach an agreement but with significant changes to the funding model.

Victoria (Liberal): Prepared to negotiate but opposed to the plan to take money from universities.

South Australia (Labor): Says the funding offer is too small.

Tasmania (Labor): Expressing reluctance.



OFFSIDE



Western Australia (Liberal): Stridently opposed to the plan which it says shows "disdain" for WA.

Northern Territory (Country Liberal Party): Rejected the funding model saying it is "unpalatable".

"I believe this will be remembered as the day our nation reached out to seize the opportunity of the biggest improvement agenda for our schools in 40 years," Ms Gillard said.

"This is an historic day for our nation because I believe following the footsteps of NSW we will see more states and territories seriously consider standing for improved schools and improve school funding.

"This deal is in the best interests of New South Wales and it's also setting a benchmark for other states to meet.

"I'm determined that we see this kind of agreement right around the country."

Mr O'Farrell says the $1.7 billion required from his state "can and will be found".

"We're delighted today to sign up to this agreement because it provides additional resources, fairer distribution to deliver higher standards and better outcomes in schools across New South Wales," Mr O'Farrell said.

"This reform today has the potential to ensure that some of the debates of the past, debates about funding mixes, debates about system versus system are consigned to history, and we continue to focus on what's most important in education, which is giving our young people the best possible start and opportunities in life."

The leaders say the deal will benefit more than 1.1 million students in the country's largest school system.

Ms Gillard says "some very clear things" will change in NSW schools, "things that people will be able to see in operation".

Specifically, Ms Gillard says the deal will keep the "best teachers" in the classroom by ensuring their annual salary will rise above $100,000.

There will also be stronger requirements for entry to teaching courses and "meaningful" annual appraisals for teachers.

NSW schools will also adopt the national curriculum through to Year 12, assess preschoolers for their "school readiness", prioritise reading skills for young students and provide more Asian language classes.

Ms Gillard has also highlighted the greater authority given to school principals and parents.

"So a real agenda for change and improvement for every child in New South Wales," she added.

"This has always been about making sure every child can reach their full potential and no child gets left behind."

'Devil and a hard place'

What does the Gonski report say?

The Government says it is vital and it seems now the Opposition agrees. Unions, teachers and parents say the money won't come soon enough.



But what does the 319-page Gonski report on school funding actually say? The Government says it is vital and it seems now the Opposition agrees. Unions, teachers and parents say the money won't come soon enough.But what does the 319-page Gonski report on school funding actually say?

The $14.5 billion national school funding package was announced earlier last week, with 65 per cent of the money coming from federal coffers and the rest to come from states and territories.

The package will draw $9.4 billion from the federal budget over six years and be indexed at a higher rate of 4.7 per cent.

Under the Federal Government's model, the funding is allocated differently across the states and territories; NSW's total funding allocation was the largest at $5 billion over six years.

The states and territories have been asked to maintain current school spending and commit to 3 per cent growth in school funding every year.

Mr O'Farrell says he will fund his state's contribution by deferring business tax cuts and increasing TAFE fees.

The Premier said in the end it was "an easy decision" because he was stuck between a "devil and a hard place".

States and territories that do not sign up to the federal plan lose funds as a previous national agreement expires, and face a reduction in indexation of base funding for schools.

"Ultimately what [NSW] cabinet decided was to back in education, to take the tough but responsible decision to find the savings," Mr O'Farrell said.

The Prime Minister says the funding will begin to flow to schools next year.

"What this agreement means on average is an additional $4,300 per child, an additional $1.5 million per school," Ms Gillard said.

"What the approach of the current system would lead you to on average is a cutback of half a million per school. So the choice is pretty clear."

Negotiate

A Gillard government insider has described the deal as a "huge breakthrough" for the Prime Minister.

Ms Gillard has promoted the plan as a "fairer" approach to funding that will pay for modern resources and specialist teachers with an aim of taking Australian schools into the top five in the world in reading, numeracy and science by 2025.

"For me, this is the culmination of five years of work in government and a lifetime of passion for change in education beyond that," she said.

The states and territories have been given until June 30 to make a final decision.

But, as with NSW, Ms Gillard is prepared to negotiate one-on-one agreements earlier.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he is not surprised New South Wales has signed up.

"I always expected that some states would sign up, because when you have a government making enormous promises of money, money and more money, the temptation particularly from hard-pressed state governments is to sign up," he said.

"The difficulty is that more money for one state means less money for other states and we've always said you can't have a national deal without every state - and all we've got so far is just one."

The Opposition says, if it wins government, it will not honour the funding plan unless every state and territory has agreed to it.

The Australian Education Union's federal president, Angelo Gavrielatos, has urged other state and territory leaders to sign up.

"Our message to all premiers across the country is very simple. Don't stand in the way of funding reform," he said.

"Deliver on funding reform as Barry O'Farrell did, and deliver the additional resources that children in your schools in your states require if they're going to achieve their full potential."

Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, federal---state-issues, education, schools, australia, nsw

First posted