Lambie says deal is right

TASMANIAN senator Jacqui Lambie has copped both criticism and praise for her pivotal role in enabling the Federal Government to pass its $23.5 billion Gonski 2.0 education package.

Senator Lambie was at the centre of furious lobbying on Thursday evening before she declared: “I strongly support this legislation and I will not be persuaded otherwise and I will not be moving from my position. I have heard everybody out.”

The Coalition won crossbench support for the reforms by shovelling an extra $5 billion into the plan, boosting it to $23.5 billion over a decade.

The Gonski 2.0 package will ensure underfunded schools reach funding targets in six years instead of 10 and $50 million will be spent on a transition fund for Catholic and independent schools over 12 months.

Labor and the Australia Education Union launched strong attacks Lambie, whose strumental.

“Senator Lambie’s strong support for the Turnbull Government’s education package is a clear betrayal of Tasmanian families,” Tasmanian Labor senator Anne Urquhart said.

AEU Tasmania president Helen Richardson said Senator Lambie needed to understand the impact of her decision for “our schools”.

“She should stand up and face the school communities who were relying on these resources to give every child the chance to get a great education,” she said.

Independent Schools Tasmania executive director Tony Crehan hailed her “sensible and caring approach”.

“She voted for the Bill in the interests of fairness and the needs of disadvantaged students,” Mr Crehan said.

Senator Lambie told the Senate she had “total trust” in Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham, who trav- on Senator vote was in- elled to the North-West and visited St Brendan-Shaw College, the Catholic school that waived fees so her two sons could attend.

She yesterday defended her vote, saying she had delivered an extra $20 million in funding for Tasmanian schools.

“This package is what Gonski should have always been,” Senator Lambie said.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s a big improvement, and thanks to the negotiating of the crossbench, it’s been improved even more.”

Tasmanian Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said claims the package provided less to Tasmania were wrong.

“The AEU and Labor can play politics and talk about their fake Gonski, whereas we welcome the extra $186 million that will now flow to Tasmanian schools,” Mr Rockliff said.

State Labor education spokesman Michelle O’ Byrne said the package represented a $68 million cut to Tasmanian public schools.