Bill
Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024
passed, as at 2024-11-29. Education portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Education
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2024-10-10
- second reading — 2024-10-10
- second reading — 2024-11-05
- other — 2024-11-05
- second reading — 2024-11-06
- other — 2024-11-07
- second reading — 2024-11-07
- third reading — 2024-11-07
- introduced — 2024-11-18
- second reading — 2024-11-18
- second reading — 2024-11-20
- second reading — 2024-11-25
- second reading — 2024-11-26
- committee — 2024-11-26
- third reading — 2024-11-26
- passed — 2024-11-26
- royal assent — 2024-11-29
Divisions
- The majority voted against an [amendment](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fr7253_amend_a54a72f7-959c-4c0b-a933-93bd7cde7b45%22;rec=0) to the usual second reading motion, which is "*that the bill be read a second time*" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). This means that the wording of the usual motion will remain unchanged. The amendment had been moved by Ryan MP [Elizabeth Watson-Brown](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/ryan/elizabeth_watson-brown) (Greens). ### Amendment text > *That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:* > > *“whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House is of the opinion that the Government should raise the Commonwealth contribution to public schools to at least 25% of the schooling resource standard, so as to ensure that all public schools in Australia are fully funded in 2025”.* — 2024-11-07, House of Representatives: negative, ayes 13, noes 41
- The majority voted against [amendments](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2024-11-26.264.1) introduced by Queensland Senator [Penny Allman-Payne](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/queensland/penny_allman-payne) (Greens), which means they failed. Senator Allman-Payne explained that the [amendments](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2024-11-26.264.1): > *...seek to amend section 35A of the Australian Education Act 2013 to raise the share of the Commonwealth's contribution to public schools to 25 per cent.* ### Amendment text > *(1) Schedule 1, item 3, page 4 (line 11), omit "20 per cent", substitute "25 per cent".* > > *(2) Schedule 1, item 7, page 5 (line 19), omit "20%", substitute "25%".* — 2024-11-26, Senate: negative, ayes 13, noes 22
- The majority voted against [amendments](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2024-11-26.271.1) introduced by Queensland Senator [Penny Allman-Payne](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/queensland/penny_allman-payne) (Greens), which means it failed. Senator Allman-Payne [explained that](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2024-11-26.271.1): > *Given that the government won't support increasing the Commonwealth contribution to 25 per cent, this amendment seeks to increase the contribution of the federal government to our public schools to 22½ per cent.* ### Amendment text > *(1) Schedule 1, item 3, page 4 (line 11), omit "20 per cent", substitute "22.5 per cent".* > > *(2) Schedule 1, item 7, page 5 (line 19), omit "20%", substitute "22.5%".* — 2024-11-26, Senate: negative, ayes 13, noes 23
- The majority voted against an [amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2024-11-26.275.1) introduced by Queensland Senator [Penny Allman-Payne](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/queensland/penny_allman-payne) (Greens), which means it failed. Senator Allman-Payne [explained that](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2024-11-26.275.1): > *The purpose of this is to remove the four per cent accounting loophole that was instigated by a coalition government and which for some reason Labor seems intent on keeping. Then shadow minister Plibersek said before the last federal election to a roomful of teachers at a conference that the government was going to remove this loophole. This is the loophole that allows states to include depreciation of buildings, busing of students in their share of their contribution to public schools. Some of those things are used by private schools but they don't lose that money. The government says that everybody needs to do their fair share. Well, the government could remove this four per cent loophole and that would bring the states up. Then they could lift their contribution and maybe we would get to 100 per cent. As long as this four per cent loophole remains, no matter what the government says, every public school in this country—WA, NT, Tasmania—will really only be at 96 per cent of the schooling resource standard.* ### Amendment text > *(1) Schedule 1, page 8 (after line 15), at the end of Part 3, add:* > >> *14A Subsection 22A(5)* >> >>> *Omit “The total SRS amount ”, substitute “Subject to subsection (5A), the total SRS amount ”.* >> >> *14B After subsection 22A(5)* >> >>> *Insert:* >>> >>> *(5A) The total SRS amount for the State or Territory does not include an amount prescribed by regulations made for the purposes of this subsection.* >>> >>> *(5B) Without limiting subsection (5A), regulations made for the purposes of that subsection must prescribe the amounts listed under the heading “2.1.3 Accounting — 2024-11-26, Senate: negative, ayes 12, noes 22
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2024-10-10.
The bill would create a path for all schools to receive full and fair funding.
It would change how the Commonwealth's share of school funding is set, moving from fixed rules in the Act to regulations that can be adjusted for each jurisdiction.
The Commonwealth's share for government schools could not fall below 20 percent, or below 40 percent for the Northern Territory from 2029.
- Removes transitional provisions that set the Commonwealth share of school funding.
- Lets the Commonwealth share be set by regulation, with a minimum percentage for government schools.
- Allows different Commonwealth shares for different states and territories.
- Requires the minister to consult the Ministerial Council before setting the share.
- Exempts those regulations from being disallowed by Parliament.
- Adds transparency and accountability as a purpose of the Act and requires an annual ministerial statement to Parliament.
All Australian schools, particularly government schools, and the states and territories that fund them.
Sources
em
billhome
frl act