Schools funding
Brad ROWSWELL (Sandringham) (14:24): My question is to the Minister for Education. By 2026–27 the interest Victorians will pay on Labor’s record state debt will increase to around $10 billion, more than the government currently spends on primary and secondary school education. Does the minister support the government’s policy to spend more on interest payments on debt than on school education?
Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:25): I welcome the opportunity to talk about this government’s $31 billion investment in education since we came to government, and certainly I am proud of the fact that this government continues to top our classes when it comes to NAPLAN results but also in regard to being able to lift those students that need that additional assistance up into higher categories. Victoria has had the largest increase in the number of government schools over the last five years of any other state, and we built more schools last year than any other state did in the nation. Participation, continuation of retention rates for 15- to 19-year-olds absolutely exceeds the national average. So this state continues to lead, continues to invest and is proud of that.
Brad ROWSWELL (Sandringham) (14:26): When will the minister admit that Labor’s mismanagement is hurting Victoria’s schoolchildren?
Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:26): I want to take the opportunity to thank our teachers for their contribution in making sure that we are getting fantastic outcomes across our school system no matter what sector that is. Our ROGS data, the national reporting, shows that Victoria has had a 39.6 per cent growth in total recurrent expenditure for government schools since 2014. This is clearly the highest of all jurisdictions in Australia. We are making the biggest investment in education, and that is because we are proud to be the Education State.