Funding to flow faster as Gonski deal sealed

UNDER- FUNDED schools will get extra money faster under a deal with the Senate crossbench to secure the passage of the Turnbull Government’s Gonski 2.0 plan.

With Labor firmly opposed to the package, government negotiations yesterday landed the 10 crucial votes of One Nation, the Nick Xenophon Team, Jacqui Lambie, Derryn Hinch and Lucy Gichuhi.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale was in talks with the Government about extra money for students with disabilities when Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told Parliament a deal had been struck with the crossbench.

The debate should continue well into today, the final scheduled sitting day before the winter break.

While the Government has not released its amendments, Senator Xenophon told reporters an agreement had been struck to shorten the funding rollout from 10 years to six and put in place an independent watchdog.

“This will unambiguously lead to a better outcome for our children,” he said. Senator Xenophon said this would mean $23 billion in extra funding to schools — instead of $18.6 billion — delivered faster than originally planned.

The Government had also agreed to the new watchdog conducting a review of the schooling resource standard, which is the basis of the new needs-based funding model, and a guarantee the states won’t withdraw their funding as more federal money flows through.

Catholic and independent educators appeared to have had a win, with the Government reportedly agreeing to a $50 million transition package over the next 12 months.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said while she backed the Bill, the Government should consider as part of its reforms putting disabled and autistic children in separate classrooms to lessen their impact on other children.