26th Jun 2013, 1:10 PM – Senate Bills - Australian Education Bill 2013, Australian Education (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013; Second Reading

The No votes succeeded in rejecting amendments proposed by Greens Senator Wright. This vote means that the amendments will not be included in the legislation.

Someone who votes aye for this amendment supports these measures. The majority voted no for this amendment so it was unsuccessful.

Summary of amendments

Two amendments were proposed. The first proposes that schools apply with anti-discrimination laws. The second includes such proposals as schools reporting about their financial assistance.

Background to Bill

This Bill was developed in response to the Review of Funding for Schooling, commissioned by David Gonski (known as the 'Gonski Review'). The Report explored the issue of the decline of performance in Australian school children over the past 10 years and the gap between the highest and lowest performing students. The Report found that the current funding model for Australian schools was unnecessarily complex and proposed a new funding system. As an alternative, a new funding model was proposed. This included a base 'per student' fee that is to be set for a student at any school. Additional loadings would be paid for disadvantage such as disability, low socioencomic background, school size, remoteness, number of Aboriginal students and lack of English proficiency.

In response the Gillard government developed the National Plan for School Improvement. This Bill gives the Commonwealth greater involvement in public and private schools. The NPSI supports the main idea of the funding model established in the Gonski review. There are some differences in the recommendations in the Gonski review and the Australian Education Bill.

The Bill was criticised by the Coalition, the Greens and the Independents Rob Oakshott and Tony Windsor for being rhetoric but with little substantive policy. The Bill does not establish specific provisions regarding funding arrangements. Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland have not signed up to the NPSI.

More information about the Bill and the context surrounding it can be found here here.