A clear and genuine pathway to full funding
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 1, 14 February 2025, page no 11.
2024 saw significant challenges come our way in state education. Issues you all know well: occupational violence and aggression, the teacher shortage crisis, workload, respect for the profession and the fight for federal funding. We know how to fix these problems: more funding, more teachers and school leaders, more support staff, and a new direction in how we value public education so it can function.
In November 2024, the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA) legislation was passed by the Federal Parliament. This locked in a floor for the Commonwealth share of the schooling resource standard (SRS) at the previous Coalition government’s cap of 20 per cent. With funding negotiation with the majority states stalled, this was premature.
While claims of full and fair funding through the BFSA had been made in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, members knew that a deal which falls 4 per cent short of 100 per cent was not full and fair funding.
There were a number of issues to be considered.
- The setting of a floor is critically important to future proof the schooling resource standard (SRS) against incoming federal governments that wish to reduce state school funding.
- The legislation is silent on the 4 per cent depreciation tax and its removal from school funding agreements.
- The implementation of any government reform agenda without the essential funding that is required to meet the needs of the state school system, places an increased workload burden on the teaching profession, while at the same time denying schools the resources needed to achieve high quality teaching and learning outcomes for students.
The change in government in Queensland and the postponed deadline for a bilateral agreement mean that the current funding arrangements will continue through 2025.
However, after significant advocacy and lobbying of politicians by the Australian Education Union (AEU) and members from across Australia, on 24 January, the Albanese government announced a clear and genuine pathway to full funding for state schools.
The Commonwealth Government has committed to lifting its share of the SRS to 25 per cent by 2034, while eliminating the 4 per cent accounting tricks introduced under the Morrison government in 2018.
South Australia and Victoria were the first governments to sign up for this agreement, which not only secures guaranteed annual funding increases but also sets a powerful precedent for other states and territories.
But our work isn’t done yet. With a federal election looming, it’s crucial that all political parties commit to full and fair funding for state schools by signing full SRS funding agreements, and that the federal opposition leader Peter Dutton guarantees he will honour these agreements in full if elected.
Queensland urgently needs full funding for state schools. The Crisafulli government cannot sign up to anything less.
We can all agree that state schools are missing out and that this cannot continue. We need spending on schooling, a bilateral agreement that is fair, a capital works programme that is permanent, reliable financial pipelines that deliver new and upgraded schools, and funding models that are transparent and effective.
As we begin this year, we will remind our new state government of the importance of our members and the precarious position our system is in right now. The new government must learn about modern education, what it actually costs our members to deliver it and our worth for the valuable work we do.
We are the custodians of our profession, continuing the proud, groundbreaking legacy of our Union predecessors, supporting, and protecting our current cohort, and ensuring that we navigate the profession in the right direction for the future.
Queensland students can’t wait any longer. State schools deserve certainty and every child deserves the chance to succeed.