GONSKI EDUCATION REVIEW

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:05): My question is for the Minister for Education and Child Development. How does the removal of $6 million per annum from the budgets of schools forced to amalgamate complement the Gonski recommendations for more money in education in South Australia?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (15:05): As I have said publicly before, we absolutely welcome the Gonski review. It is something that has been much anticipated by all the sectors in our community—the government and non-government sectors. We will continue to work with these sectors plus the federal government.

I think in South Australia we are in a very good position. We have a very good relationship with the federal government in relation to this review. The Gonski report is a very useful and very significant body of work. For instance, it highlights South Australia, along with Victoria, as having the most decentralised systems in our nation—something that in fact the opposition is always going on about. Gonski sets the record straight in relation to these matters.

In relation to amalgamations, I have all the review reports. I am presently considering them, and I am doing what I said that I would do—that is, take them seriously.