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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-11-12 Daily Xml
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School Funding

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (14:30): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. How will public schools in southern Adelaide benefit under the Gonski agreement?

The SPEAKER: Minister, you are here; excellent.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:31): Yes, sir; thank you, sir. I want to thank the member for Reynell for her question. Across the state, our public schools are going to benefit to the tune of around $20.4 million in additional funding next year under our Gonski agreement. This is additional funding which will mean more support for local schools to deliver targeted support and programs for their students.

I have seen how these additional funds are being used directly with students—high achieving students participating in advanced science classes, for example, their interest and engagement such that they do additional work in their lunch breaks, and small groups of young ones receiving specialised assistance in their numeracy and literacy to the point where one young student doing some maths learning said he was now finding maths fun to do.

I saw this during my visit out to Roma Mitchell College, which will be, by the way, receiving $218,241 to build on these programs next year. This school has grown its SACE completion rate in just three years. Roma Mitchell is one of our super schools—and it is super. It is super in relation to its teachers, super in relation to the students who are going there, and super in relation to the academic achievements they are receiving. They have gone from a 57 per cent completion rate three years ago for SACE to nearly 92 per cent last year.

I also visited last week schools in the member for Reynell's electorate and the member for Kaurna's electorate. Public schools across southern Adelaide will receive an additional $3 million. Christies Beach High will receive just over $400,000 in additional funding in 2015. Aldinga Beach Primary School, where they have one of our great new children's centres, yet to be officially opened, will receive more than $111,600.

There is a big hit coming their way, however. Schools across southern Adelaide will lose more than $45 million in federal funding, resources and support—the equivalent of more than 400 teachers—because South Australia's Christopher Pyne, the federal Minister for Education, steadfastly refuses to honour the full six years of the Gonski agreement. That means Christies Beach High losing $1.4 million in just two years, Aldinga Beach Primary School losing $875,000, Brighton High losing $1.8 million—

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Stuart.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The question was specifically about public schools in the southern suburbs that are receiving Gonski money, so I think that the minister's answer under standing order 98—

The SPEAKER: Is the point of order that no school is receiving Gonski funding?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: No, sir.

The SPEAKER: What is the point of order?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The minister is no longer addressing the substance of the question, because the question was about schools that are receiving Gonski money in the southern suburbs.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I'll read the question again for your benefit, if you like.

The SPEAKER: The minister is clearly a shorthand practitioner.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I am, sir, I am.

The SPEAKER: I don't see any merit in the point of order at all. I do not uphold the point of order. Minister.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Thank you, sir. The question I was asked was about the benefit of Gonski, so I've outlined what they will be receiving this year, but in years 2018 and 2019 Christies Beach High School will be losing $1.4 million in federal funding—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Shame!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —Aldinga Beach Primary School, $875,000—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Shame!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —in two years of federal funding.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Shame!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Brighton High School, $1.8 million in two years.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Shame!

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer will no longer use 'shame'; he is warned.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Reynella East will be losing $2.1 million, and Aberfoyle Park High School will be losing $1.2 million.

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: Shame!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: This is a scandal, sir. On top of this, indexation applying from 2018 entrenches ongoing disadvantage for all South Australian schools—public, Catholic and independent.

The SPEAKER: Alas! The minister's time has expired. And I warn the member for Newland also for shouting 'Shame!'

Mr Pederick: Chuck him out, sir.

The SPEAKER: Does the member for Hammond really think I should chuck the member out after only one warning?

Mr Pederick: Why not? Set a precedent, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I am reluctant to call the member for Morialta because of the way he abused his right to ask a question on the last occasion, but if he is genuinely contrite—

Mr GARDNER: Sir, I am contrite.

The SPEAKER: —I will allow him another question.

Mr GARDNER: I apologise to you. I seek no longer to undermine your authority.

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