PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Mr BURNELL (Spence) (18:40): It is no secret that Australia has one of the finest education systems in the world. It is a system that has produced world-leading researchers, skilled tradespeople, innovators, teachers, doctors and entrepreneurs who have helped shape our nation and earned respect across the globe. That success has never been achieved by chance.
It has been built through generations of investment and through governments that understood education is the foundation of opportunity, prosperity and a stronger Australia. Labor has always believed that a world-class country deserves a world-class education system. It is a principle that has driven our reforms for decades, and it continues to guide the Albanese Labor government today.
Our focus is simple: build a better and fairer education system that gives every Australian child the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or their postcode. When we came to government, one significant piece of work remained unfinished. Independent Catholic schools had reached their agreed funding arrangements, but no public school outside the Australian Capital Territory had reached full funding.
That was never the vision of the Gonski reforms. As Minister Clare had said, our job was to finish Gonski. That is exactly what this government is doing.
The Better and Fairer Schools Agreement will put every public school in Australia on a path to full and fair funding. They represent the largest new Commonwealth investment in public schools ever delivered. An additional $20 billion will be invested over the next decade, with a further $50 billion flowing in the decade beyond.
Funding is tied to practical reforms that are backed by evidence, including stronger literacy and numeracy checks, phonics assessments, evidence based teaching practices and targeted tutoring for students who need extra support. These are reforms designed to help students catch up when they are falling behind, keep up as they progress through school and finish their education ready for whatever path they choose.
Labor understands that a great education system depends on great teachers. No curriculum, no building and no policy can replace the difference a dedicated teacher makes in the life of a young person. That is why we are backing Australia's teachers instead of talking them down.
We are investing in scholarships, expanding teacher training places, supporting graduates into the profession and reducing unnecessary workload pressures that take teachers away from the classroom. Those reforms are already making a difference. After years of declining enrolments in teaching degrees, more Australians are once again choosing teaching as a career.
Teacher numbers are increasing, student-to-teacher ratios are improving, and confidence in the profession is beginning to return. That is welcome news for students, families and school communities right across Australia. The Productivity Commission found their school reform agreement had little impact and criticised the lack of meaningful accountability and targeted reforms for students who needed the supports the most.
This government has chosen a different path. We're investing in schools because we know education changes lives. We are supporting teachers because they are the people who inspire, encourage and prepare the next generation.
Most importantly, we are ensuring that every child has access to the opportunities they deserve, no matter which school they attend. That is what fairness in education looks like. It's not about choosing one sector over another.
It's about recognising that every Australian student deserves the chance to reach their full potential. A world-class education system must continue to improve, continue to invest and continue to respond to the challenges facing future generations. That is exactly what the Albanese Labor government is delivering.
By finishing Gonski, backing our teachers and making the largest investment in public schools in our nation's history, we are strengthening an education system that is already among the best in the world. We are building on Labor's proud legacy of reform while ensuring today's students are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in tomorrow's economy.
That is an investment in our children. It is an investment in our communities. Above all, it is an investment in Australia's future.
That is why Labor has always stood for a world-class education system. That is why we continue to invest in every and every teacher. That is why the Albanese Labor government is building a better and fairer education system for generations to come.
I want to touch on some of the comments made by earlier speakers on the other side. Everyone's very keen to put their opinions on the table in this room during this debate, but I'd encourage you, Mr Leeser, to take a walk into my schools, in my community, and see how hard it is for some of those students and some of those schools. Life is not easy and choice is not an option.
The public school system is all that those children have got. We need a strong public school system to ensure that they have every opportunity to succeed in life. The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Dr Haines ): I remind the member for Spence to use the member's correct title.