Gonski 2.0 gets early green light
AN extra $ 23 billion will be fasttracked into Australian schools after the Turnbull Government clinched a Senate crossbench deal over education funding.
The Government broke through to secure the required 10 crossbench votes it needs to pass its landmark reforms after agreeing to major concessions – including speeding delivery of the package to the poorest schools from 10 years to six.
The “Gonksi 2.0” package could now be rubber- stamped by Federal Parliament as early as today after hours of negotiations with the Greens and other Senate independents.
It comes despite a fierce campaign against the reforms from Labor, the Catholic education sector and the Australian Education Union against the new funding model.
South Australian Nick Xenophon’s bloc of three votes and Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie pledged to support the Government after it promised to add $ 4.9 billion on top of the $ 18.6 billion in extra spending over a decade.
Senator Xenophon said the talks delivered the “real Gonski” rather than a “knock off” version pledged by the Gillard government four years ago.
Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham is expected to establish an independent schools resourcing body – recommended by the Gonski report – as well as forcing state governments to increase spending on public schools.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and her three senators will also back the reforms along with Victorian Derryn Hinch and South Australian Lucy Gichuhi. Critically, the Government has also agreed to delay the funding changes for the Catholic sector and independent schools for 12 months – including a $ 50 million transition package – while the modelling is reviewed. BURDEKIN Renewable Fuels will receive $ 125,000 from the State Government’s Advance Queensland program after it was acknowledged as being at the forefront of a global bioindustrial revolution.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who this week attended the BIO 2017 conference in San Diego, said BRF aimed to produce pellets from sugarcane tops and trash for biorefining.
“They will supply samples to