Page 1837 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 2 May 2012
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ACT. Over the term of the Stanhope-Gallagher governments funding to our Catholic and independent schools has increased from $30.7 million in 2001-02 to over $51.3 million in 2011-12. This is an increase of over 67 per cent, well over CPI increases over this time. The ACT makes these funding decisions on a needs based, per capita assessment. This assessment indicates that Catholic systemic schools in the ACT need higher per capita funding than our independent schools. Therefore, we have provided funding where it is needed most, an approach reinforced by the outcomes of the recent commonwealth review of school funding.
The review of funding for schooling—the Gonski review—was made public on 20 February 2012. It is the first comprehensive review of school funding in nearly 40 years.
Mr Doszpot: So you do know what the Gonski review is?
DR BOURKE: Yes, I do. The review panel concluded that Australia must aspire to have a schooling system that is among the best and every child should have access to the best possible education, regardless of where they live, the income of their family or the school they attend. The ACT government consulted with both the independent and the Catholic sectors in developing ACT submissions to the review last year and continues to consult across the education sectors in the wake of the review’s publication.
On 24 February 2012 I hosted a community roundtable of stakeholders, with government and non-government education councils, parents, unions, principals and teachers. Participants welcomed this opportunity and I committed to ongoing consultation. I have recently circulated invitations for a second roundtable to occur later this month. This will again include representatives of all sectors in the ACT.
Since the release of the Gonski review there has been much fear mongering about schools losing funding. The Prime Minister has stated time and time again that no school will be worse off under Gonski. Gonski has provided a platform for reform, responding to the need for changes to school funding that make sure our students do not continue to fall behind other parts of the world, and to reduce the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. The ACT looks forward to continuing to work with the Australian government and states and territories to continue the discussions on school funding reform and work to achieve the objective of an equitable, fair and transparent model of funding. In fact, the National Catholic Education Commission have responded to the Gonski report indicating that they too strongly support the calls for additional funding for all students, particularly disadvantaged students.
The ACT has a rich, collaborative culture between school sectors. The education sectors in the ACT work together and cooperate with each other through many avenues. Catholic and independent schools have been recipients of unprecedented levels of investment in schools in recent years, from both the ACT and Australian governments. As with all schools in the ACT, Catholic schools benefited greatly from the funding provided under building the education revolution, with the program delivering on improved learning outcomes for students and teachers.
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