On Thursday 01 August 2024, I asked the Education Minister in estimates whether Labor state and federal governments would fund Queensland State Schools to 100% of minimum needs funding under the Gonski model (Schooling Resource Standard).
Right now Queensland state schools are underfunded by $1.7 billion, and that figure is set to grow to $2.1 billion every year by the end of the decade. This means not enough teachers and resources in our classrooms, more out-of-pocket expenses for families, and kids getting left behind.
You can read my question and the answer below, or find the full transcript and video link in the official Queensland Parliament Record of Proceedings (Hansard).
Amy:
Thank you, Chair. My question is for the minister. Minister, you talked this morning about the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement. If the federal government are offering 22.5 per cent of school funding, is it the Queensland government’s intention to provide the remainder that is needed to get up to 100 per cent?
Education Minister:
No. As I said earlier in my response to the question from the member for Inala, our position is that the federal government should provide 25 per cent.
Amy:
If that is not the case, will the state government be coming in to meet the remainder of funding that is needed to get to 100 per cent?
Education Minister:
It is our position that the federal government provide 25 per cent.
Amy:
What will you be doing between now and the end of September, when I understand that agreement needs to be signed, to get the federal government to lift their funding
agreement?
Education Minister:
I am liaising very closely with all of my colleagues in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT. We are united in our position that the federal government should offer 25 per cent. There is much work going on behind the scenes amongst ministers and amongst officials to achieve that position. As I said earlier, it is not just the percentage of funding that is provided. It is actually asking about the level of detail that has been put forward by the federal government that should inform that agreement. It is not a level of detail that we agree with. That has been aired quite thoroughly in our discussions. That remains our position going forward.