The Coalition has had longer than a three year cycle to make some changes to education. But since the 2016 election, what has it actually done? And what is Labor proposing?
Frydenberg may claim education is critical to the prosperity of our country, but his budget does not reflect this.
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The government has delivered a pretty disappointing budget for education, with no secure funding for early childhood education and a recycled commitment of $300 for schools.
The funding gap between the most and least well-off schools has grown over the last ten years.
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Schools funding doesn’t pass the playground test of fairness: state schools get less government funding than governments themselves say the schools need.
Regardless of who wins next year’s federal election, it’s time for us to all get on the same page.
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2018 was a mixed bag for schooling policy in Australia, with new ministers, a new organisation and auspicious anniversaries. It’s worth reflecting on the year that’s been.
Funding boosts to private schools will not necessarily result in lower fees.
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New analysis shows wealthy parents at advantaged Catholic primary schools could actually afford the increase to school fees under the needs-based model.
For Australian school kids to get the most benefit out of school funding reforms, the Commonwealth government must take a hands-off approach.
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The shift in the education debate from “how much” to “how best” is a welcome change, but for students to feel the full benefit the federal government must resist intervening.
Some of Victoria’s wealthiest private schools have reported spikes in numbers of students with disability. We should only trust those numbers if they’re moderated by qualified staff.
Labor has been steadfast in its opposition to the government’s school funding plan.
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The Catholic sector, having lost the old special deals, would be anxious to extract some new ones from an ALP government that had extra dollars to put around.
The government is counting on a deal with the Greens or the support of most of the other Senate crossbenchers to pass its schools funding package.
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Critics are expected to speak out in the partyroom on Tuesday, demanding more information about the effects of the schools package on the Catholic sector.
Sarah Hanson-Young has come up against the pressure of the Australian Education Union.
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Some Liberals love to deride Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. In the past, the government’s immigration minister and attack dog, Peter Dutton, was particularly insulting when she was spokeswoman in his…
Federal political leaders attend an ecumenical church service to mark the start of the parliamentary year in February.
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Christianity plays a relatively minor role in Australian politics. Instead, it takes the guise of a general cultural conservatism, as demonstrated by the same-sex marriage and school funding debates.
Politics podcast: Andrew Giles on schools funding.
Andrew Giles says the strong opposition from Catholic schools to the government's education package is because they were given 'almost no notice' of the funding changes.
When the public are deeply cynical and distrustful, and have turned their back on a government, can that government change its image and the voters’ view?
Tony Abbott said he would not flag what may or may not be said in the partyroom on schools funding.
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Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford