Education Funding

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:31): Supplementary: given the minister's explanation to that question, will the money form part of the grants to the schools each year, or will it have a specific directed purpose and restrictions on the principals and their ability to spend it so that they comply with the recommendations of the panel the minister has described?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (14:31): The language in that question is quite extraordinary. The money will be spent in the schools and by the schools, with guidance from people who are experts so that we have proper evidence bases. But this, 'Will they comply? How will you make sure? How are you going to bind them up?'—it would be surprising to think that it is the other side that says that we should have more autonomy in schools.

In fact, we already have significant autonomy, and what we need to do is make sure that we get the money out to them and we get the support for making the right decisions. This, 'Can we have a list of the procedures on how we are going to bind our principals up?' No, you can't.