Page 773 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 1 April 2008
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A number of the groups and individuals that Mr Smyth quoted in his speech have said that, yes, they believe the federal government underinvested in public education to the tune of about $3 billion—that is the funding gap that is there. The challenge for the incoming Rudd Labor government is to increase the commonwealth government’s investment in education.
But Mr Smyth is right: it is not just about how much money you spend; it is about where you spend it, how you target it and the sorts of programs and areas in which you seek to invest additional resources. This government has sought to provide additional resources in those early years of schooling, from kindergarten to year 3. We have sought to provide additional resources for Indigenous students. There is one significant concern that did come out of that PISA data in terms of a significant underperformance of Indigenous students. The PISA data shows that some Indigenous students are between 12 and 18 months behind their non-Indigenous counterparts in terms of their reading.
Mr Smyth: So you cut all the Indigenous schools.
MR BARR: Mr Speaker, the government invested an additional $3.3 million into—
Mrs Dunne: In bricks and mortar; none of it in the people.
MR BARR: No, into recurrent programs for Indigenous education in the second appropriation. You should know better, Mrs Dunne, if you had paid any attention. You were the shadow minister at the time. In fact, I remember you welcoming it in the committee, indicating that it was an important investment.
Importantly, we need to ensure that we raise the quality of our education system. That means having a sensible look at our resource level and where we are targeting resources. Mr Smyth is absolutely right: you need to ensure that you spend your money effectively within the education sector. And, yes, in budget after budget, of course there will be an increase. But the question is: has there been a real increase in expenditure on education? Clearly, there has been under this government; there has been more than a 30 per cent increase in education investment. That is running well ahead of inflation over the period during which this government has been in power. So there has been a real increase in education funding.
Have we sought to tackle the major systemic issues that face the ACT public education system? Yes. Those opposite seemingly would prefer to see governments invest in heating and cooling empty buildings. That is seemingly their priority. This government is focusing its investment on improving the quality of education, be it in initiatives to support pastoral care in our high schools, be it in initiatives to support and improve physical education, with the establishment today of the Children’s Physical Activity Foundation, in partnership with John James and a range of sporting and other organisations in the ACT, be it in investment in languages, in the arts—in a range of areas. There has been more money and a more targeted investment in languages programs than those opposite were ever able to deliver in their time in government.
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