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MEDIA RELEASE

17 February 2012

OAKESHOTT LOOKING FORWARD TO SCHOOL EDUCATION FUNDING REPORT

INDEPENDENT Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott says the Gonski review into school funding, which will be made public on Monday, is the most important work of this term of Parliament.

“Australia’s education policy is failing on too many fronts,” Mr Oakeshott said.

“We lack a student-focus and a needs-based focus, and because students and their needs are secondary, educational disadvantage becomes entrenched.

“The Gonski review must address the 25 to 30 per cent gap in education outcomes between the three standout inequities of rural students compared to metropolitan students, indigenous students compared to non-indigenous students, and less affluent students

compared to the more affluent students.

“Along with a greater needs-based focus for students with disabilities, these three culturally entrenched gaps in education outcomes must be addressed in Gonski, otherwise we are only further entrenching the existing gaps and the existing disadvantage.

“We should be less concerned about who gets what in the three streams of public, independent or Catholic education, and much more interested in how Australia shifts to a student-focused and needs-based funding model. It is currently what we don’t have, and it is what we desperately need,” Mr Oakeshott said.

“Mr Gonski and his panel deserve the highest praise for keeping three highly competitive providers - public, independent and Catholic- so engaged.

“It is a good sign that the panel has got it right, and I look forward to Monday,” Mr Oakeshott said.

ENDS

Media contact: Sharon Fuller - 0429 787320