State and fed education ministers at odds over school funding
With the Victorian school year just days away, federal Education Minister Dan Tehan says a state government letter about education funding is the first sign of a deal on the thorny issue.
But the Andrews government is continuing to hold out, insisting it will not sign up to any long-term agreement it considers unfair for state schools.
Mr Tehan told reporters on Sunday a letter from the Victorian Education Minister James Merlino was "the first indication" Victoria would ink an agreement with the federal government.
"I saw this as the first indication that (Victoria) might be serious in following every other state and territory education minister in coming to an agreement with the Commonwealth government," Mr Tehan said in Melbourne.
"We have record funding on the table when it comes to state schools, independent and Catholic schools and we want to make sure that can flow over the long term to all schools in Victoria."
A $751.8 million, five-month funding deal was struck between Victoria and the Commonwealth earlier this month.
Yet all other states and territories have inked five-year funding deals.
The interim payment to Victorian state schools is paired with $18.3 million of capital grant funding for non-government schools and $27.9 million in additional assistance.
But Mr Merlino said the federal government was "rightly worried" it would be punished by Victorian parents for its "failure to properly fund government schools".
"As our letter makes clear we won’t sign up to any long-term deal that sees unequal funding of government and non-government schools in Victoria," he said.
In the letter, Mr Merlino said Victoria's position on a full agreement had not changed, insisting both state and independent schools must be fairly funded.
"We do not accept the Commonwealth’s current position that non‑government schools will be fully funded to the schooling resource standard with no pathway set for government schools to reach this benchmark," he said in the letter.
Mr Merlino urged the Commonwealth to increase its contribution for Victorian state schools to 25 per cent of the schooling resource standard, a needs-based formula introduced under the Gonski reforms.
"I look forward to hearing a proposal from you about how to address Victoria’s concerns and would welcome a meeting to discuss these important issues."
States had been left reeling last year when the federal government offered a $4.6 billion 10-year peace deal to Catholic and independent schools.
It included a $1.2 billion fund that could only be accessed by private schools.
Mr Tehan said it was "a show of good faith" Mr Merlino had penned him a letter, not aired his feelings in public as has happened in December last year.
"I look forward to sitting down with him in the coming weeks," he added.
With AAP